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Trip from Knoxville, 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

2h 26m

Distance

132.7 mi

214 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

60 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 16m ★
6 AM
2h 26m
8 AM
2h 46m
10 AM
2h 33m
12 PM
2h 31m
3 PM
2h 34m
5 PM
2h 45m
8 PM
2h 20m

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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city in Knox County, State of Illinois, United States

Knoxville, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Knoxville, IL to Champaign, IL covers 132.7 miles and takes about 2h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 74, I 474, East Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 114 miles on I 74. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.75 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

66.3 miles from Knoxville, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 12m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 74 114 mi 2h 2m
I 474 13.8 mi 14m
East Main Street 1.8 mi 2m
North Neil Street 1.2 mi 2m
US 150 / IL 97 0.3 mi <1m
North Market Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 74 — 114 mi, about 2h 2m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on North Market Street

129 ft · 10 sec · North Market Street
2

Turn left onto US 150

1.8 mi · 2 min · East Main Street
3

At end of road, turn left onto US 150

0.3 mi · 23 sec · US 150 / IL 97
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward I 74 East: Peoria
5

Merge onto I 74

32 mi · 34 min · I 74
6

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 1 min
Toward I 474 East: Indianapolis
7

Merge onto I 474

14 mi · 14 min · I 474
8

Merge onto I 74

27 mi · 28 min · I 74
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 74

6.6 mi · 7 min · I 74
Toward I 55 South, I 74 East, US 51 South: Saint Louis, Indianapolis
10

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.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 182 Toward Neil Street
12

Keep slight right at fork

140 ft · 5 sec
Exit 182 Toward Neil Street
13

Turn right onto North Neil Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · North Neil Street
14

Arrive at destination

North Neil Street

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 66.3 miles from Knoxville, IL, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 114 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 29 miles or 32m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 66.3 miles or 1h 12m 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 58m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Knoxville, 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 Knoxville, IL

This is one driving day of about 132.7 miles and 2h 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Knoxville, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 74 for about 114 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Danvers, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Danvers, IL

66 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.

Popular next leg

Danvers, IL to Champaign, IL

62.6 mi · 1h 15m

Pacing Suggestions

Hanna City, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Danvers, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 66.3 miles from Knoxville, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 74 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 114 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

The Literary

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Champaign, Illinois

Near the end, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $10 to $20 mile 132.7

Hours: 8 am–9 pm

+12179541500

Visit website

The Library Café

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Champaign, Illinois

0.4 mi

Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Urbana, Illinois

1.2 mi

The Literary

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $10 to $20 mile 132.7

Champaign, Illinois

Hours: 8 am–9 pm

+12179541500

Visit website

The Library Café

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour $1 to $10 mile 132.7

Champaign, Illinois

Hours: 9 am–8:30 pm

+12174032000

Visit website

Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 132.7

Urbana, Illinois

+12173672340

Visit website

Basil Thai At Urbana

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 132.7

Urbana, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–8:30 pm

+12173448662

Visit website

Bevier Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 132.7

Urbana, Illinois

Hours: 9 am–1 pm

+12173338469

Visit website

The 520 Cafe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20 mile 47.4

East Peoria, Illinois

Hours: 6 am–9 pm

+13098391416

Visit website

Xinh Xinh Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 132.7

Urbana, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+12173377600

Visit website

Eggcellent Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour $10 to $20 mile 47.4

East Peoria, Illinois

Hours: 6:30 am–2:30 pm

+13096431218

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.2 mi from route mile 132.7

Champaign, Illinois

Visit website

Tesla Destination Charger

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.1 mi from route mile 132.7

Champaign, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+12175312800

Visit website

EV Connect Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 132.7

Champaign, Illinois

+18668167584

Tesla Supercharger

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 132.7

Champaign, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 85.3

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+13096641222

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

3.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 132.7

Champaign, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 75.8

Normal, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

Tesla Destination Charger

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 85.3

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: 9 am–12 pm

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 131.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
1.8 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 150 / US 150 / IL 97

At end of road, turn left onto US 150 / US 150 / IL 97

Navigation decision point

5
2.1 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 74 East: Peoria

Navigation decision point

Toward I 74 East: Peoria
6
76.7 mi into trip | ~1h 23m in | I 74

Keep slight right at fork onto I 74 toward I 55 South, I 74 East, US 51 South: Saint Louis, Indianapolis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 55 South, I 74 East, US 51 South: Sain...
8
83.2 mi into trip | ~1h 30m 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...
7
131.5 mi into trip | ~2h 22m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Neil Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 182 Toward Neil Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.75 one way

$41.49 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 46 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $22.78 $45.56
premium $4.89 $25.54 $51.07
diesel $5.61 $29.30 $58.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 46.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

60 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Champaign, Illinois

Other

1 DCFC

EV Connect Charging Station

Champaign, Illinois

EV Connect

1 DCFC

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Bloomington, Illinois

Other

1 DCFC

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Normal, Illinois

Other

1 DCFC

Rivian Waypoints

Normal, Illinois

Rivian

1 DCFC

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

East Peoria, Illinois

Other

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

East Peoria, Illinois

Tesla

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

Normal, Illinois

Tesla

1 DCFC

Other: 19 ChargePoint: 18 Tesla: 6 EV Connect: 4 Tesla Destination: 4 Blink: 3 Rivian: 2 Electrify America: 2 InCharge: 1 Shell Recharge: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 39.8 0 $13.93 $6.37
Efficient EV 33.2 0 $11.61 $5.31
EV Truck/SUV 53.1 0 $18.58 $8.49

Gas CO2

46 kg

EV CO2

16 kg (65% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Knoxville, IL

Afternoon in Knoxville on Saturday

Local time

1:02 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Mostly Sunny

NW 15 to 18 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Destination

Champaign, IL

Afternoon in Champaign on Saturday

Local time

1:02 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

74°F

Danvers, IL

66 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

2 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

2h 26m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This is a 2h 26m highway drive covering 132.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 74 and I 474. The longest continuous stretch is about 114 miles on I 74.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 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 114 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 74 and I 474. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near US 150 / US 150 / IL 97.

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 132.7 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 1.8 miles (US 150 / US 150 / IL 97): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 76.7 miles (I 74): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Knoxville, IL and Champaign, IL, road signs point toward Indianapolis and Decatur.

Indianapolis

76.7 mi in | ~1h 23m | via I 74

Decatur

83.2 mi in | ~1h 30m | via I 74; US 51

About the Cities

Starting in Knoxville, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1831

Top landmarks

  • • Knox County Courthouse — former courthouse and adjacent in Knoxville, Illinois, USA; now a city hall
  • • Knox County Jail — former jail in Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois

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 2h 26m. Total distance: 132.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Knoxville, IL to Champaign, IL covers 132.7 miles and takes about 2h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 74, I 474, East Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 66.3 miles from Knoxville, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.75 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 132.7 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 1.8 miles (US 150 / US 150 / IL 97): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 76.7 miles (I 74): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Knoxville, IL and Champaign, IL, road signs point toward Indianapolis and Decatur.

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.

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