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Trip from Columbus, OH to Vandalia, OH

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 19m

Distance

69.1 mi

111 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 14m ★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 16m

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

capital city of Ohio, United States of America

Columbus, OH

Wikimedia Commons

city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States

Vandalia, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Columbus, OH to Vandalia, OH covers 69.1 miles and takes about 1h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East State Street, South High Street, West Town Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.72 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 69.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 19m drive with frequent turns across 69.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East State Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Columbus, OH to Vandalia, OH is easy. At 1h 19m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Columbus, OH to Vandalia, OH is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
East State Street
South High Street
West Town Street
Civic Center Drive
South 2nd Street
I-70 West
South Innerbelt
West Freeway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: East State Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbus, OH and Vandalia, OH.

1

Start on the route

75 ft · 6 sec · the route
2

Turn right onto East State Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · East State Street
3

Turn left onto South High Street

495 ft · 21 sec · South High Street
4

Turn right onto West Town Street

0.2 mi · 33 sec · West Town Street
5

At the end of the road, turn left onto Civic Center Drive

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Civic Center Drive
6

Continue on South 2nd Street

0.1 mi · 30 sec · South 2nd Street
7

Take the ramp slight right toward I-70 West

0.2 mi · 31 sec · I-70 West
8

Merge slight left onto South Innerbelt

0.6 mi · 50 sec · South Innerbelt
9

Continue on West Freeway

65 mi · 1 hr 10 min · West Freeway
10

Take the exit slight right toward I 75: Dayton, Toledo

0.3 mi · 36 sec · I 75: Dayton, Toledo
11

Keep slight right to continue on I 75 North: Toledo

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 75 North: Toledo
12

Merge slight left

1.0 mi · 1 min
13

Take the exit slight right toward US 40: Vandalia, Donnelsville

0.3 mi · 53 sec · US 40: Vandalia, Donnelsville
14

Turn left onto East National Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · East National Road
15

Turn sharp left

121 ft · 5 sec
16

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 34.5 mi from Columbus, OH · 39m into the drive

process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Harmony, OH

35 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

Lincoln Village, OH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Harmony, OH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 34.5 miles from Columbus, OH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Vandalia, OH

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

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.72 one way

$21.45 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.38 $11.90 $23.80
premium $4.91 $13.35 $26.71
diesel $5.61 $15.26 $30.51

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.7 0 $7.26 $3.32
Efficient EV 17.3 0 $6.05 $2.76
EV Truck/SUV 27.6 0 $9.67 $4.42

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Columbus, OH

Morning in Columbus on Thursday

Local time

11:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Vandalia, OH

Morning in Vandalia on Thursday

Local time

11:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

52°F

Harmony, OH

35 mi in

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 19m 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 Columbus, OH to Vandalia, OH covers 69.1 miles and takes about 1h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East State Street, South High Street, West Town Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 34.5 miles from Columbus, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.72 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.
The drive from Columbus, OH to Vandalia, OH is easy. At 1h 19m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Columbus, OH to Vandalia, OH is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Columbus, OH to Vandalia, OH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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