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Trip from City of Gary, IN to Austin, IN

Data updated 3 hours ago

Drive Time

4h 21m

Distance

230.2 mi

370 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$36

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 8m ★
6 AM
4h 21m
8 AM
4h 48m
10 AM
4h 31m
12 PM
4h 28m
3 PM
4h 32m
5 PM
4h 47m
8 PM
4h 13m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown City of Gary, IN, IN

City of Gary, IN

Артем Дворецкий

city in Scott County, Indiana, United States

Austin, IN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 230.2-mile drive from Gary, Indiana, to Austin, Indiana, is a solid option for a single-day road trip, taking approximately 4 hours and 21 minutes. You'll navigate primarily via Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, I-65, and US-31, with about 41% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this Midwest to Midwest excursion is around $36. The drive offers a mixed experience, suitable for a focused journey without the need for an overnight stop. Plan for one stop along the way to break up the drive and stretch your legs.

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

115.1 miles from City of Gary, IN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 8m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

You'll experience a mixed drive on this route, with a significant portion, 132.6 miles, spent on the Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. While 41% of the trip involves highway driving, the overall feel is more varied than a pure interstate cruise. Expect a blend of faster road sections and potentially more local or two-lane segments, especially on the Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. This variety means the road's character will evolve throughout your 4-hour-plus journey.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 132.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West 8th Avenue.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 230.2 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 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 135.1 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | West 8th Avenue

Turn right onto West 8th Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | Madison Street

Turn left onto Madison Street

Navigation decision point

6
135.1 mi into trip | ~2h 30m 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.
6
154 mi into trip | ~2h 55m in | I 65

Keep slight left at fork onto I 65

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane.
6
227.6 mi into trip | ~4h 16m in

Take the exit toward US 31: Austin, Crothersville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 36 Toward US 31: Austin, Crothersville

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway 132.6 mi 2h 25m
I 65 92.5 mi 1h 46m
US 31 1.9 mi 2m
West 5th Avenue 1.8 mi 3m
Madison Street 0.4 mi 1m
West Booe Road 0.3 mi 1m
West 8th Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway — 132.6 mi, about 2h 25m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between City of Gary, IN and Austin, IN.

1

Start on this road

342 ft · 27 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto West 8th Avenue

0.2 mi · 33 sec · West 8th Avenue
3

Turn left onto Madison Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Madison Street
4

Turn right onto US 12; US 20

1.8 mi · 3 min · West 5th Avenue
5

Turn right onto I 65

133 mi · 2 hr 25 min · Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 65

17 mi · 22 min · I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 65

1.9 mi · 2 min · I 65
Exit 112A Toward I 70 East: Dayton
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 65

74 mi · 1 hr 20 min · I 65
Use the slight left lane.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Exit 36 Toward US 31: Austin, Crothersville
10

At end of road, turn left onto US 31

1.9 mi · 2 min · US 31
11

Turn left onto West Booe Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · West Booe Road
12

Arrive at destination

West Booe Road

Trip Plan

Given the 4-hour 21-minute duration and 230.2-mile distance, this route is perfectly manageable as a single-day trip. Aim to depart in the morning to allow ample time for your one planned stop without feeling rushed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longest stretch of 132.6 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, as services might be less frequent. The $36 fuel cost is a helpful budget point, so factor that into your overall trip planning.

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 115.1 miles from City of Gary, IN, or about 2h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 132.6 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 80 miles or 1h 30m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 115.1 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 33m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, IN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving City of Gary, 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 City of Gary, IN

This is one driving day of about 230.2 miles and 4h 21m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from City of Gary, 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 Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway for about 132.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 115.1 mi from City of Gary, IN · 2h 8m into the drive

city in Ohio, United States; county seat of Hamilton County

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Cincinnati, OH

115 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Orland Park, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Champaign, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 115.1 miles from City of Gary, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 132.6 miles.

Arriving in Austin, IN

The final approach into Austin, IN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Austin, IN.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes National Park

National Park

Lake Michigan's might has influenced Indiana Dunes for millennia. Wind and waves have shaped the land, leaving a rich mosaic of habitats along these 15 miles of Indiana coast. Over 50 miles of trails...

13 mi from route ~33 min detour $20
Park Closure: Partial Closures to Marquette Greenway Trail and Glenwood Dunes Trail
Park Closure: Mount Baldy Closure
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$35.99 one way

$71.98 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 81 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $39.51 $79.03
premium $4.89 $44.30 $88.60
diesel $5.61 $50.83 $101.65

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$36

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$61–$86

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 80.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 69.1 0 $24.17 $11.05
Efficient EV 57.6 0 $20.14 $9.21
EV Truck/SUV 92.1 1 $32.23 $14.73

Gas CO2

81 kg

EV CO2

27 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 data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

City of Gary, IN

Afternoon in City of Gary on Tuesday

Local time

4:27 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Austin, IN

Evening in Austin on Tuesday

Local time

5:27 PM

EDT

Current temp

79°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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 later

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

33 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 21m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from City of Gary, IN to Austin, IN covers 230.2 miles and takes about 4h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, I 65, US 31. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 115.1 miles from City of Gary, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $35.99 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 230.2 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 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 135.1 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from City of Gary, IN to Austin, IN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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