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Trip from Indianapolis, IN to Hamilton, IN

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 15m

Distance

54.8 mi

88 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

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 20m
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.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Hamilton, IN, IN

Hamilton, IN

Petra Reid

Trip Overview

The drive from Indianapolis, IN to Hamilton, IN covers 54.8 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 65, SR 39, Rossville Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 31.6 miles on I 65. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.57 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 54.8 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 (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 15m highway drive covering 54.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 65 and SR 39. The longest continuous stretch is about 31.6 miles on I 65.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 65 is the longest continuous segment at about 31.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and SR 39. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 54.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.3 miles (US 52): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

5
1.1 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 65 North: Chicago

Navigation decision point

Toward I 65 North: Chicago
5
1.3 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 65

Merge onto I 65

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
29.3 mi into trip | ~37m in | US 52

Take the exit onto US 52 toward US 52 West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 141 Toward US 52 West
5
29.5 mi into trip | ~38m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

6
33.3 mi into trip | ~42m in

Take the exit toward SR 47: Thorntown, Sheridan

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

Exit 146 Toward SR 47: Thorntown, Sheridan

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 Indianapolis, IN to Hamilton, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Sheridan along the way.

Sheridan

33.3 mi in | ~42m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 65 31.6 mi 37m
SR 39 11.5 mi 16m
Rossville Avenue 4.6 mi 6m
West County Road 400 North 2.7 mi 4m
IN-47 1.8 mi 3m
North Illinois Street 1 mi 3m
West Kyger Street 0.5 mi <1m
US 52 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 65 — 31.6 mi, about 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Indianapolis, IN and Hamilton, IN.

1

Start on this road

257 ft · 32 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto West Market Street

351 ft · 18 sec · West Market Street
3

Turn right onto North Illinois Street

1.0 mi · 3 min · North Illinois Street
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 65 North: Chicago
5

Merge onto I 65

28 mi · 33 min · I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit onto US 52

0.2 mi · 15 sec · US 52
Exit 141 Toward US 52 West
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 9 sec
8

Merge onto I 65

3.6 mi · 3 min · I 65
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 146 Toward SR 47: Thorntown, Sheridan
10

Turn right onto SR 47

1.8 mi · 3 min · IN-47
11

Turn left onto SR 39

12 mi · 16 min · SR 39
12

Turn left onto US 421; SR 39

0.5 mi · 44 sec · West Kyger Street
13

Turn slight right onto US 421; SR 39

4.6 mi · 6 min · Rossville Avenue
14

Turn left onto SR 38

2.7 mi · 4 min · West County Road 400 North
15

Turn right onto North County Road 600 West

51 ft · 2 sec · North County Road 600 West
16

Arrive at destination

North County Road 600 West

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 27.4 mi from Indianapolis, IN · 35m into the drive

Downtown Zionsville, IN, IN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Zionsville, IN

27 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

Speedway, IN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lebanon, IN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Indianapolis, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Hamilton, IN

The final approach into Hamilton, IN 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

$8.57 one way

$17.13 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.41 $18.81
premium $4.89 $10.55 $21.09
diesel $5.61 $12.10 $24.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.4 0 $5.75 $2.63
Efficient EV 13.7 0 $4.79 $2.19
EV Truck/SUV 21.9 0 $7.67 $3.51

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 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 16, 2026

Origin

Indianapolis, IN

Evening in Indianapolis on Thursday

Local time

7:05 PM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Mostly Sunny

WSW 13 mph 5% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 16 at 12:24PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 11:54AM EDT until April 21 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Destination

Hamilton, IN

Evening in Hamilton on Thursday

Local time

7:05 PM

EDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

25 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

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Indianapolis, IN to Hamilton, IN covers 54.8 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 65, SR 39, Rossville Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.4 miles from Indianapolis, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.57 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.3 miles (US 52): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
On the drive from Indianapolis, IN to Hamilton, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Sheridan along the way.

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Return Trip

Hamilton, IN to Indianapolis, IN

Plan the drive back the other way.

54.9 mi 1h 16m

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