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Trip from Danvers, 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

1h 15m

Distance

62.6 mi

101 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 10m ★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m

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

Downtown Danvers, IL, IL

Danvers, IL

Mike Tyurin

Trip Overview

This straightforward 62.6-mile drive from Danvers, IL to Champaign, IL takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll spend about 80% of your time on highways, with a notable uninterrupted stretch of 48 miles on I 74. With an estimated fuel cost of just $10, this route is very budget-friendly. The journey keeps you within the familiar Midwest region, offering a practical and efficient way to travel between these two Illinois locations. Given its short duration, no overnight stops are necessary.

About the Cities

Arriving in Champaign, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1855

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.

Top landmarks

  • Orpheum Theatre — theater and movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
  • Virginia Theatre — movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
  • Cattle Bank — bank building in Champaign, United States of America

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 1h 15m. Total distance: 62.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

Expect a highway-focused profile for most of this 62.6-mile journey. You'll primarily be on I 74, which constitutes a significant portion of your drive. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 48 miles on this interstate. While the majority is highway, you will briefly use local roads like East 1400 North Road and North 475 East Road, offering a slight change of pace before returning to faster speeds. This route prioritizes direct travel over scenic detours.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 74 is the longest continuous segment at about 48 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 74 and East 1400 North Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in near IL 9 / East 1400 North Road.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 15m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles (IL 9 / East 1400 North Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.1 miles (I 74; US 51): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 6 key points

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

7
2.9 mi into trip | ~5m in | IL 9 / East 1400 North Road

At end of road, turn left onto IL 9 / East 1400 North Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
4
10.5 mi into trip | ~17m in

Take the ramp toward I 55 South, US 51 South, I 74 East: Springfield, Decatur, Champaign

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 55 South, US 51 South, I 74 East: Spri...
8
13.1 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 74; US 51

Keep slight left at fork onto I 74; US 51 toward I 74 East, US 51 South, US 55 Business North: Indianapolis, Decatur

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 74 East, US 51 South, US 55 Business N...
5
61.1 mi into trip | ~1h 12m in

Take the exit toward Neil Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 182 Toward Neil Street
7
61.4 mi into trip | ~1h 12m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Neil Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 182 Toward Neil Street

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Danvers, IL to Champaign, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Decatur along the way.

Decatur

10.5 mi in | ~17m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 74 48 mi 51m
East 1400 North Road 6.2 mi 8m
North 475 East Road 2.3 mi 4m
I 55 2.1 mi 2m
West Market Street 1.4 mi 2m
North Neil Street 1.2 mi 2m
North West Street 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 74 — 48 mi, about 51m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Danvers, IL and Champaign, IL.

1

Start on North West Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · North West Street
2

Continue on IL 9

2.3 mi · 4 min · North 475 East Road
3

At end of road, turn left onto IL 9

6.2 mi · 8 min · East 1400 North Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Continue on US 150; IL 9

1.4 mi · 2 min · West Market Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
5

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 55 South, US 51 South, I 74 East: Springfield, Decatur, Champaign
6

Merge onto I 55; I 74; US 51

2.1 mi · 2 min · I 55; I 74; US 51
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 74; US 51

48 mi · 51 min · I 74; US 51
Toward I 74 East, US 51 South, US 55 Business North: Indianapolis, Decatur Use the slight right lane.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 182 Toward Neil Street
9

Keep slight right at fork

140 ft · 5 sec
Exit 182 Toward Neil Street
10

Turn right onto North Neil Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · North Neil Street
11

Arrive at destination

North Neil Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 31.3 mi from Danvers, IL · 40m into the drive

Downtown Empire, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Empire, IL

31 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

Bloomington, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Empire, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.3 miles from Danvers, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Champaign, IL

The final approach into Champaign, IL 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

$9.79 one way

$19.57 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $10.75 $21.49
premium $4.89 $12.05 $24.09
diesel $5.61 $13.82 $27.64

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.8 0 $6.57 $3.00
Efficient EV 15.7 0 $5.48 $2.50
EV Truck/SUV 25 0 $8.76 $4.01

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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

Danvers, IL

Morning in Danvers on Saturday

Local time

11:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Champaign, IL

Morning in Champaign on Saturday

Local time

11:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

53°F

Empire, IL

31 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

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

1h 15m 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 Danvers, IL to Champaign, IL covers 62.6 miles and takes about 1h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 74, East 1400 North Road, North 475 East Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 31.3 miles from Danvers, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.79 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 is a straightforward 1h 15m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles (IL 9 / East 1400 North Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.1 miles (I 74; US 51): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

On the drive from Danvers, IL to Champaign, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Decatur along the way.

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.

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