Origin
New Albany, IN
Night in New Albany on Tuesday
Local time
10:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Albany, IN to Elkhart, IN
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
5h 24m
Distance
269.9 mi
434 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 11m
★
6 AM
5h 25m
8 AM
5h 52m
10 AM
5h 34m
12 PM
5h 31m
3 PM
5h 36m
5 PM
5h 50m
8 PM
5h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Albany, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Elkhart, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from New Albany, IN to Elkhart, IN covers 269.9 miles and takes about 5h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Spring Street, I 265 East, I 65 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.20 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
134.9 miles from New Albany, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 42m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 24m drive with frequent turns across 269.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 35 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Spring Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 24m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Albany, IN to Elkhart, IN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Spring Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 265 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 65 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Southport Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Southport Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Emerson Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I-465 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Keystone Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
West Spring Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Albany, IN and Elkhart, IN.
1
Start on State Street
26 ft
·
8 sec
·
State Street
2
Turn left onto West Spring Street
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
West Spring Street
3
Take the ramp slight right
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
4
Merge slight left
1.2 mi
·
1 min
5
Take the exit slight right toward I 265 East, SR 62 East
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
I 265 East, SR 62 East
6
Continue straight
6.0 mi
·
6 min
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 65 North, I 65 South: Indianapolis, Louisville
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
I 65 North, I 65 South: Indianapolis, Louisville
8
Keep slight left to continue on I 65 North: Indianapolis
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 65 North: Indianapolis
9
Merge slight left
97 mi
·
1 hr 44 min
10
Take the exit slight right toward Southport Road
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Southport Road
11
Turn slight right
177 ft
·
4 sec
12
Turn straight onto East Southport Road
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
East Southport Road
13
Turn left onto South Emerson Avenue
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
South Emerson Avenue
14
Take the ramp straight
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
15
Merge slight left
2.3 mi
·
2 min
16
Continue straight
12 mi
·
13 min
17
Keep slight left
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
18
Continue on I-465 WB
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
·
I-465 WB
19
Continue straight
2.6 mi
·
3 min
20
Take the exit slight right toward Keystone Avenue
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Keystone Avenue
21
Turn right onto North Keystone Parkway, West 96th Street, West 98th Street, East 96th Street
171 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Keystone Parkway, West 96th Street, West 98th Street, East 96th Street
22
Merge slight left onto North Keystone Avenue
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Keystone Avenue
23
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward North Keystone Parkway, East 98th Street
112 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Keystone Parkway, East 98th Street
24
Exit the roundabout onto North Keystone Parkway, East 98th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Keystone Parkway, East 98th Street
25
Keep slight left to continue on Keystone Parkway
436 ft
·
12 sec
·
Keystone Parkway
26
Merge slight left onto Keystone Parkway
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Keystone Parkway
27
Merge slight left onto North Meridian Street
118 mi
·
2 hr 26 min
·
North Meridian Street
28
Take the exit slight right toward US 20 East: Mishawaka, Elkhart
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
US 20 East: Mishawaka, Elkhart
29
Merge slight left onto Saint Joseph Valley Parkway
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Saint Joseph Valley Parkway
30
Take the exit slight right toward SR 19 North: Elkhart
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
SR 19 North: Elkhart
31
Turn straight onto South Nappanee Street
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
South Nappanee Street
32
Turn right
525 ft
·
10 sec
33
Continue on West Franklin Street
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
West Franklin Street
34
Turn right onto Pletcher Court
292 ft
·
17 sec
·
Pletcher Court
35
Arrive at your destination
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 134.9 miles from New Albany, IN, or about 2h 42m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134.9 miles or 2h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elkhart, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving New Albany, IN 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 New Albany, IN
This is one driving day of about 269.9 miles and 5h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from New Albany, IN.
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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 134.9 mi from New Albany, IN · 2h 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
135 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 134.9 miles from New Albany, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elkhart, IN
The final approach into Elkhart, IN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Elkhart, IN.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.20 one way
$84.39 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
94 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $46.33 | $92.66 |
| premium | $4.89 | $51.94 | $103.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $59.59 | $119.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 94.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 81 | 0 | $28.34 | $12.96 |
| Efficient EV | 67.5 | 0 | $23.62 | $10.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 108 | 1 | $37.79 | $17.27 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Elkhart, IN
Night in Elkhart on Tuesday
Local time
10:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
11 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
5h 24m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from New Albany, IN to Elkhart, IN covers 269.9 miles and takes about 5h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Spring Street, I 265 East, I 65 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 134.9 miles from New Albany, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $42.20 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 24m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Albany, IN to Elkhart, IN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from New Albany, IN to Elkhart, IN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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