West Lafayette to Tell City is 216.6 miles and takes about 4h 34m via SR 37 and I-65, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route travels through the heart of Indiana, staying within the Midwest region. Expect a predominantly highway experience that makes for efficient travel. With only one recommended stop and a manageable duration, this trip is well-suited for a single day of driving.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
108.3 miles from West Lafayette, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
SR 37
70.9 mi
1h 33m
I 65
48.3 mi
52m
I 69
47.5 mi
53m
SR 145
16.2 mi
23m
I 465
13.7 mi
15m
US 150
10.6 mi
14m
South Street
2 mi
3m
Union Street
1.6 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
SR 37
— 70.9 mi, about 1h 33m
Traffic on I-465
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 66 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~5,885 veh/hr typical
· worst 7,028
Quietest
2 AM
~533 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 73 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Lafayette, IN and Tell City, IN.
1
Start on Northwestern Avenue
42 ft·2 sec·Northwestern Avenue
2
Turn right onto Vine Street
275 ft·16 sec·Vine Street
3
Turn right onto Wiggins Street
0.3 mi·47 sec·Wiggins Street
4
Continue on Old US Highway 231
0.6 mi·1 min·Old US Highway 231
5
Continue on Union Street
1.6 mi·4 min·Union Street
6
Turn right onto North Earl Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·North Earl Avenue
7
Turn left onto South Street
2.0 mi·3 min·South Street
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·24 sec
Toward I 65 South: Indianapolis
9
Merge onto I 65
42 mi·45 min·I 65
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
5.9 mi·6 min·I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 123Toward I 465 South
12
Continue on this road
0.6 mi·1 min·this road
Exit 123Toward I 465 South
13
Merge onto I 465
14 mi·15 min·I 465
14
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 5Toward I 69 South: EvansvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 69
47 mi·53 min·I 69
Use the straight lane.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 37
42 mi·52 min·SR 37
Exit 114Toward SR 37 South: Bedford
17
Enter roundabout onto US 150; SR 37; SR 56
156 ft·2 sec·West Main Street
18
Continue on US 150; SR 37; SR 56
260 ft·6 sec·West Main Street
19
Continue on US 150; SR 56
11 mi·14 min·US 150; SR 56
20
Turn left onto SR 145
16 mi·23 min·SR 145
21
Continue on SR 64
1.1 mi·1 min·SR 64
22
Continue on SR 37
29 mi·41 min·SR 37
23
Turn left onto SR 66
0.8 mi·1 min·12th Street
24
Turn right onto Mozart Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·Mozart Street
25
Turn right
242 ft·17 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 4-hour, 34-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from West Lafayette. This will allow you to complete the 216.6 miles before evening. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in when and where you choose to pause. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the longest stretch without significant exits is 70.9 miles on SR 37. The $33 fuel estimate should cover the majority of your travel needs.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 108.3 miles from West Lafayette, IN, or about 2h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 48 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 108.3 miles or 2h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tell City, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving West Lafayette, IN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from West Lafayette, IN
This is one driving day of about 216.6 miles and 4h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from West Lafayette, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on SR 37 for about 70.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 116.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Wiggins Street
Turn right onto Wiggins Street
Navigation decision point
6
47.9 mi into trip|~57m in|I 65
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
53.8 mi into trip|~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward I 465 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 123
Toward I 465 South
7
68.4 mi into trip|~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward I 69 South: Evansville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward I 69 South: Evansville
6
116.6 mi into trip|~2h 17m in|SR 37
Keep slight right at fork onto SR 37 toward SR 37 South: Bedford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 114
Toward SR 37 South: Bedford
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.42 one way
$58.84 round trip
$3.45/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.85
$32.83
$65.66
premium
$4.15
$35.39
$70.78
diesel
$3.75
$31.98
$63.96
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65
0
$22.74
$10.40
Efficient EV
54.2
0
$18.95
$8.66
EV Truck/SUV
86.6
1
$30.32
$13.86
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 18, 2026
Origin
West Lafayette, IN
Late night
in West Lafayette on Monday
Local time
2:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
33°F
Areas Of Frost
S 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 9:46PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 9:40PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Destination
Tell City, IN
Late night
in Tell City on Monday
Local time
1:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Clear then Areas Of Frost
NE 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 9:46PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 9:40PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
46°F
Clear Creek, IN
108 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 34m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
National Memorial
Abraham Lincoln grew from youth to manhood on this southern Indiana soil. Many character and moral traits of one of the world's most respected leaders was formed and nurtured here. Explore Lincoln's b...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
Free
near mile 216.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 96% of the 216.6 miles on major routes like SR 37 and I-65. You'll experience a long stretch of 70.9 miles on SR 37 before reaching the interstate system. The highway cruising means you'll see relatively few exits for extended periods. You'll spend most of your time on these high-speed roads, making for a quick transit.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.9 mi on SR 37.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on SR 37 and I 65. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Wiggins Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 216.6 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Wiggins Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.9 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Lafayette is the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Central Indiana. It is located 2 hours southeast of Chicago and 1 hour northwest of Indianapolis. The Greater Lafayette metropolitan area consists of the cities of Lafayette and West Lafayette. The combined population is 97,000. Neighboring West Lafayette is home to Purdue University, a large, prestigious public university.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 34m. Total distance: 216.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70.9 miles on SR 37. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Tell City, IN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 10 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Wiggins Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.9 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Tell City, IN, but most travelers stay overnight.
