Trip from Indianapolis, IN to Salem, IN

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 52m

Distance

78.3 mi

126 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min

4 AM

1h 44m ★

6 AM

1h 53m

8 AM

2h 9m

10 AM

1h 58m

12 PM

1h 57m

3 PM

1h 59m

5 PM

2h 8m

8 PM

1h 48m

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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Salem, IN

Banx Photography

Trip Overview

The drive from Indianapolis, IN to Salem, IN covers 78.3 miles and takes about 1h 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 74, SR 44, State Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.8 miles on I 74. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.24 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.

Midpoint

39.2 miles from Indianapolis, IN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 52m. Total distance: 78.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

The drive from Indianapolis, IN to Salem, IN covers 78.3 miles and takes about 1h 52m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 24 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 21.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Monument Circle.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 78.3 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.1 miles (Monument Circle): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (East Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (Southeastern Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Monument Circle

Turn left onto Monument Circle

Navigation decision point

0.8 mi into trip | ~3m in | East Washington Street

At end of road, turn left onto East Washington Street

Navigation decision point

1.2 mi into trip | ~4m in | Southeastern Avenue

Turn right onto Southeastern Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

29 mi into trip | ~36m in

Take the exit toward SR 44 South, SR 9 South: Shelbyville, Rushville

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

Use the right lane. Exit 116 Toward SR 44 South, SR 9 South: Shelbyville, Ru...

74.5 mi into trip | ~1h 45m in | US 27; SR 44 / West Seminary Street

Turn left onto US 27; SR 44 / West Seminary Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

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 Salem, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Rushville along the way.

Rushville

29 mi in | ~36m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 74	21.8 mi	23m
SR 44	17 mi	25m
State Street	16.4 mi	24m
East 5th Street	11.5 mi	17m
Southeastern Avenue	6.1 mi	8m
Liberty Avenue	2.1 mi	2m
South Salem Road	0.6 mi	2m
County Road 200 East	0.5 mi	2m

Longest stretch: I 74 — 21.8 mi, about 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

Start on this road

257 ft · 32 sec · this road

Turn left

37 ft · 9 sec

Turn left onto Monument Circle

0.1 mi · 23 sec · Monument Circle

Turn right onto East Market Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · East Market Street

Turn right onto North Park Avenue

512 ft · 23 sec · North Park Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto East Washington Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Washington Street

Turn right onto Southeastern Avenue

1.4 mi · 2 min · Southeastern Avenue

Use the right lane.

Enter roundabout onto Southeastern Avenue

130 ft · 7 sec · Southeastern Avenue

Continue on Southeastern Avenue

4.7 mi · 6 min · Southeastern Avenue

Continue on I 74; US 421

22 mi · 23 min · I 74; US 421

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 116 Toward SR 44 South, SR 9 South: Shelbyville, Rushville Use the right lane.

Turn right onto SR 44

17 mi · 25 min · SR 44

Turn left onto SR 44 Truck

226 ft · 5 sec · North Perkins Street

Turn right onto SR 44

16 mi · 24 min · State Street

Turn left onto SR 44

0.2 mi · 18 sec · North Eastern Avenue

Turn right onto SR 1; SR 44

12 mi · 17 min · East 5th Street

Turn right onto US 27; SR 44

330 ft · 11 sec · South Main Street

Turn left onto US 27; SR 44

0.3 mi · 19 sec · West Seminary Street

Use the left lane.

Turn slight right onto US 27; SR 44

0.3 mi · 20 sec · College Corner Avenue

Continue on US 27

2.1 mi · 2 min · Liberty Avenue

Turn right onto South Salem Road

0.6 mi · 2 min · South Salem Road

Turn slight left onto County Road 200 East

0.5 mi · 2 min · County Road 200 East

At end of road, turn left onto County Road 250 South

7 ft · 0 sec · County Road 250 South

Arrive at destination

County Road 250 South

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 39.2 miles from Indianapolis, IN, or about 52m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 21.8 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 17 miles or 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 39.2 miles or 52m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 33m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Salem, IN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Indianapolis, IN so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Indianapolis, IN

This is one driving day of about 78.3 miles and 1h 52m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Indianapolis, IN.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

The longest stretch is on I 74 for about 21.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 39.2 mi from Indianapolis, IN · 52m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Shelbyville, IN

39 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

Cumberland, IN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Middletown, IN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 39.2 miles from Indianapolis, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Salem, IN

The final approach into Salem, 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

$12.24 one way

$24.48 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 27 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$13.44	$26.88
premium	$4.89	$15.07	$30.14
diesel	$5.61	$17.29	$34.58

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	23.5	$8.22	$3.76
Efficient EV	19.6	$6.85	$3.13
EV Truck/SUV	31.3	$10.96	$5.01

Gas CO2

27 kg

EV CO2

9 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

Indianapolis, IN

Night in Indianapolis on Thursday

Local time

9:18 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Salem, IN

Night in Salem on Thursday

Local time

9:18 PM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

74°F

Shelbyville, IN

39 mi in

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

23 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 52m 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 Indianapolis, IN to Salem, IN covers 78.3 miles and takes about 1h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 74, SR 44, State Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 39.2 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 $12.24 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.