The drive from Independence, IL to Bremen, IL covers 159.4 miles and takes about 3h 50m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 5th Street, IL 3, IL 255 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.9 miles on 5th Street.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
79.7 miles from Independence, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 5m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 50m. Total distance: 159.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 50m highway drive covering 159.4 miles, with most of the trip on 5th Street and IL 3. The longest continuous stretch is about 25.9 miles on 5th Street.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
5th Street is the longest continuous segment at about 25.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on 5th Street and IL 3. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.3 miles in near County Highway 7.
Driving Effort5/10
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 159.4 miles you will encounter 11 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 3.3 miles (County Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 6.4 miles (Vin Fiz Road): Navigation decision point; at 38.4 miles (US 67 / 5th Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
3.3 mi into trip|~8m in|County Highway 7
Keep slight left at fork onto County Highway 7
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
6.4 mi into trip|~15m in|Vin Fiz Road
At end of road, turn left onto Vin Fiz Road
Navigation decision point
4
38.4 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|US 67 / 5th Street
Turn right onto US 67 / 5th Street
Navigation decision point
7
98.7 mi into trip|~2h 27m in
Take the exit toward IL 15 East: Belleville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 17A
Toward IL 15 East: Belleville
5
108.1 mi into trip|~2h 38m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
5th Street
25.9 mi
30m
IL 3
23.3 mi
28m
IL 255
19.5 mi
22m
I 255
14.9 mi
17m
IL 100
12.7 mi
18m
IL 108
11.1 mi
19m
New Missouri Avenue
8.8 mi
10m
Main Street
8 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
5th Street
— 25.9 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Independence, IL and Bremen, IL.
1
Start on Road 900
259 ft·13 sec·Road 900
2
Turn right onto County Highway 7
3.3 mi·7 min·County Highway 7
3
Keep slight left at fork onto County Highway 7
2.7 mi·6 min·County Highway 7
4
Continue on Pittsfield Street
0.3 mi·47 sec·Pittsfield Street
5
Continue on Pittsfield Road
0.1 mi·22 sec·Pittsfield Road
6
At end of road, turn left onto Vin Fiz Road
0.2 mi·28 sec·Vin Fiz Road
7
Continue on County Highway 10
0.2 mi·34 sec·County Highway 10
8
Continue on Nebo Road
3.0 mi·7 min·Nebo Road
9
Continue on County Highway 10
4.4 mi·9 min·County Highway 10
10
Turn right onto IL 100
13 mi·18 min·IL 100
11
Turn left onto IL 108
0.1 mi·14 sec·Marquette Street
12
Continue on IL 108
0.2 mi·4 min·Kampsville Ferry
13
Continue on IL 108
11 mi·19 min·IL 108
14
Turn right onto US 67
26 mi·30 min·5th Street
15
Continue on IL 255
20 mi·22 min·IL 255
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 255
15 mi·17 min·I 255
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Exit 17AToward IL 15 East: BellevilleUse the right lane.
18
Continue on IL 15
8.8 mi·10 min·New Missouri Avenue
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
20
Keep slight right at fork
150 ft·3 sec
21
Turn right onto IL 159
7.2 mi·10 min·South Illinois Street
22
Continue on IL 159
6.1 mi·9 min·State Route 159
23
Continue on IL 156; IL 159
0.2 mi·19 sec·North Main Street
24
Continue on IL 159
0.2 mi·13 sec·N Main St
25
Continue on IL 159
8.0 mi·11 min·Main Street
26
Continue on IL 3
23 mi·28 min·IL 3
27
Turn left onto IL 150
6.1 mi·10 min·State Street
28
Turn slight left onto Chester Road
0.2 mi·34 sec·Chester Road
29
Arrive at destination
Chester Road
Trip Plan
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 79.7 miles from Independence, IL, or about 2h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 25.9 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 35 miles or 1h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 79.7 miles or 2h 5m 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 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bremen, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Independence, IL 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 Independence, IL
This is one driving day of about 159.4 miles and 3h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Independence, IL.
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 5th Street for about 25.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 79.7 mi from Independence, IL
· 2h 5m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.8
0
$16.74
$7.65
Efficient EV
39.9
0
$13.95
$6.38
EV Truck/SUV
63.8
0
$22.32
$10.20
Gas CO2
56 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (66% 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
Independence, IL
Late night
in Independence on Saturday
Local time
4:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bremen, IL
Late night
in Bremen on Saturday
Local time
4:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
7 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
3h 50m 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 Independence, IL to Bremen, IL covers 159.4 miles and takes about 3h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 5th Street, IL 3, IL 255. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 79.7 miles from Independence, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.92 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 159.4 miles you will encounter 11 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 3.3 miles (County Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 6.4 miles (Vin Fiz Road): Navigation decision point; at 38.4 miles (US 67 / 5th Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Independence, IL to Bremen, 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
