Origin
Arcola, IL
Night in Arcola on Friday
Local time
10:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arcola, IL to Champaign, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
36.1 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arcola, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Arcola, IL to Champaign, IL is 36.1 miles and takes about 44m via I 57 and I 72, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, taking you from one Midwest community to another. It's a straightforward journey, primarily utilizing interstate highways, making it a very efficient way to travel between these two points. Consider this route if you need a quick, no-fuss connection between Arcola and Champaign without much deviation.
About the Cities
Arriving in Champaign, IL
Full guide →Champaign-Urbana is a metropolitan area in central Illinois, composed of the towns of Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy. The community is the site of the main campus of the University of Illinois, one of the great public universities of the United States.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 36.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a highway-focused drive, with 89% of the journey on high-speed roads. You'll spend the majority of your time on I 57, including a significant stretch of 31 miles without needing to exit. The primary roads consist of I 57, West University Avenue, and I 72, indicating a predominantly interstate experience. Expect swift travel, allowing you to cover the 36.1 miles efficiently.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 57 is the longest continuous segment at about 31 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and West University Avenue. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near IL 133 / East Springfield Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 36.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.3 miles (IL 133 / East Springfield Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 32.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 133 / East Springfield Road
Turn left onto IL 133 / East Springfield Road
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn left toward I-57 North: Champaign
Navigation decision point
Toward I-57 North: Champaign
5
32.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward I-72 East: University Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 235A
Toward I-72 East: University Avenue
5
36 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
West Park Avenue
Turn right onto West Park Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
36 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
North Neil Street
Turn right onto North Neil Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 57 | 31 mi | 33m |
| West University Avenue | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| I 72 | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Springfield Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Locust Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| E County Road 200 N | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Park Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Randolph Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 31 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arcola, IL and Champaign, IL.
1
Start on North Locust Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North Locust Street
2
Turn left onto IL 133
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Springfield Road
3
Continue on IL 133
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
E County Road 200 N
4
Take the ramp
467 ft
·
13 sec
Toward I-57 North: Champaign
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I-57 North: Champaign
6
Merge onto I 57
31 mi
·
33 min
·
I 57
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 235A
Toward I-72 East: University Avenue
8
Merge onto I 72
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 72
9
Continue on West University Avenue
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
West University Avenue
10
Turn left onto North Randolph Street
364 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Randolph Street
11
Turn right onto West Park Avenue
458 ft
·
15 sec
·
West Park Avenue
12
Turn right onto North Neil Street
320 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Neil Street
13
Arrive at destination
North Neil Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.64 one way
$11.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.20 | $12.39 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.95 | $13.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.97 | $15.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.79 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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.
Destination
Champaign, IL
Night in Champaign on Friday
Local time
10:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
21 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
44m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arcola, IL to Champaign, IL covers 36.1 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 57, West University Avenue, I 72. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.1 miles from Arcola, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.64 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 36.1 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (IL 133 / East Springfield Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 32.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Arcola, IL to Champaign, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Champaign, IL
More trips to Champaign, IL
Explore more options from Arcola, IL or browse trips ending in Champaign, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.