Origin
Elwood, IN
Afternoon in Elwood on Saturday
Local time
2:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elwood, IN to Lafayette, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 29m
Distance
61.3 mi
99 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 23m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elwood, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Lafayette, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Elwood, IN to Lafayette, IN covers 61.3 miles and takes about 1h 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 65, West 200 South, County Road 100 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.7 miles on I 65. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.58 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 13.7 mi | 15m |
| West 200 South | 9.9 mi | 14m |
| County Road 100 South | 7.8 mi | 11m |
| Walnut Avenue | 7.3 mi | 10m |
| East 150 South | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| East Wabash Street | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| State Road 28 | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| South Street | 2.7 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 13.7 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elwood, IN and Lafayette, IN.
1
Start on SR 28
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Continue on SR 28
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East 150 South
3
Continue on SR 28
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
State Road 28
4
Continue on SR 28
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
East 150 South
5
Continue on SR 28
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East Jefferson Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on West Old State Road 28
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Old State Road 28
7
Continue on West 200 South
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
West 200 South
8
Enter roundabout onto West 200 South
93 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 200 South
9
Continue on West 200 South
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
West 200 South
10
Enter roundabout onto SR 28
136 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 200 South
11
Continue on SR 28
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
West 200 South
12
Enter roundabout onto SR 28
160 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 200 South
13
Continue on SR 28
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
West 200 South
14
Continue on SR 28
7.8 mi
·
11 min
·
County Road 100 South
15
At end of road, turn right onto US 421; SR 28
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
US 421; SR 28
16
Turn left onto US 421; SR 28
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East County Road 50 South
17
Continue on US 421; SR 28
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
East Wabash Street
18
Turn slight right
215 ft
·
4 sec
19
Turn slight right onto US 421; SR 28
179 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Hoke Avenue
20
Turn left onto US 421; SR 28
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East Walnut Street
21
Turn straight onto SR 28
7.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Walnut Avenue
22
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
23
Merge onto I 65
14 mi
·
15 min
·
I 65
24
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 172
Toward SR 26: Lafayette, Rossville
25
Turn left onto SR 26
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
SR 26
26
Continue on South Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
South Street
27
Turn slight left onto Jackson Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Jackson Street
28
Turn right
178 ft
·
13 sec
29
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.7 miles from Elwood, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 15.4 and 61.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
15.4 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
SR 28 / West 200 South
Enter roundabout onto SR 28 / West 200 South
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
15.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
SR 28 / West 200 South
Enter roundabout onto SR 28 / West 200 South
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
29.5 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
US 421; SR 28
At end of road, turn right onto US 421; SR 28
Navigation decision point
6
58.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward SR 26: Lafayette, Rossville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 172
Toward SR 26: Lafayette, Rossville
5
61.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.58 one way
$19.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.52 | $21.04 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.80 | $23.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.53 | $27.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.44 | $2.94 |
| Efficient EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.58 | $3.92 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Lafayette, IN
Afternoon in Lafayette on Saturday
Local time
2:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Frankfort, IN
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 29m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
61.3 mi in 1h 29m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.7 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 15.4 miles in near SR 28 / West 200 South.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 29m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.4 miles (SR 28 / West 200 South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 15.6 miles (SR 28 / West 200 South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 29.5 miles (US 421; SR 28): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Elwood, IN to Lafayette, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Rossville along the way.
Rossville
58.1 mi in
|
~1h 22m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 29m. Total distance: 61.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (23%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.7 miles on I 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 15.4 miles (SR 28 / West 200 South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 15.6 miles (SR 28 / West 200 South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 29.5 miles (US 421; SR 28): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lafayette, IN before heading back.
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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