Tipton, IN to Lafayette, IN is 50.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via I 65, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Indiana, moving you from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Expect a route with frequent turns, making it more of a local exploration than a highway cruise. With only 28% of the drive on the highway, you'll experience a varied landscape. Given the minimal travel time, this trip is best suited for a single day, offering flexibility in your schedule.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 50.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
This drive has a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you'll be navigating a series of local roads and some highway. Only 28% of the total distance is on the interstate, so be prepared for a less monotonous experience. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 13.7 miles on I 65, offering a brief period of steady driving. As you progress, you'll transition from the interstate to county roads like West 200 South and County Road 100 South, requiring more attention to navigation and speed changes.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 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 13.7 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 4.8 miles in near SR 28 / West 200 South.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 13m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.8 miles (SR 28 / West 200 South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 5 miles (SR 28 / West 200 South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18.9 miles (US 421; SR 28): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
4.8 mi into trip|~7m in|SR 28 / West 200 South
Enter roundabout onto SR 28 / West 200 South
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
5 mi into trip|~7m in|SR 28 / West 200 South
Enter roundabout onto SR 28 / West 200 South
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
18.9 mi into trip|~28m in|US 421; SR 28
At end of road, turn right onto US 421; SR 28
Navigation decision point
6
47.4 mi into trip|~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward SR 26: Lafayette, Rossville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 172
Toward SR 26: Lafayette, Rossville
5
50.6 mi into trip|~1h 13m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
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 Tipton, IN to Lafayette, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Rossville along the way.
Rossville
47.4 mi in|~1h 6m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 65
13.7 mi
15m
West 200 South
9.9 mi
14m
County Road 100 South
7.8 mi
11m
Walnut Avenue
7.3 mi
10m
East Wabash Street
3.4 mi
5m
South Street
2.7 mi
5m
East County Road 50 South
2 mi
2m
East Walnut Street
1.3 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 13.7 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tipton, IN and Lafayette, IN.
1
Start on East Jefferson Street
0.6 mi·53 sec·East Jefferson Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Continue on West Old State Road 28
0.7 mi·1 min·West Old State Road 28
3
Continue on West 200 South
3.4 mi·5 min·West 200 South
4
Enter roundabout onto West 200 South
93 ft·1 sec·West 200 South
5
Continue on West 200 South
0.1 mi·12 sec·West 200 South
6
Enter roundabout onto SR 28
136 ft·2 sec·West 200 South
7
Continue on SR 28
0.1 mi·13 sec·West 200 South
8
Enter roundabout onto SR 28
160 ft·2 sec·West 200 South
9
Continue on SR 28
6.1 mi·9 min·West 200 South
10
Continue on SR 28
7.8 mi·11 min·County Road 100 South
11
At end of road, turn right onto US 421; SR 28
0.5 mi·50 sec·US 421; SR 28
12
Turn left onto US 421; SR 28
2.0 mi·2 min·East County Road 50 South
13
Continue on US 421; SR 28
3.4 mi·5 min·East Wabash Street
14
Turn slight right
215 ft·4 sec
15
Turn slight right onto US 421; SR 28
179 ft·8 sec·South Hoke Avenue
16
Turn left onto US 421; SR 28
1.3 mi·1 min·East Walnut Street
17
Turn straight onto SR 28
7.3 mi·10 min·Walnut Avenue
18
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
19
Merge onto I 65
14 mi·15 min·I 65
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 172Toward SR 26: Lafayette, Rossville
21
Turn left onto SR 26
0.2 mi·23 sec·SR 26
22
Continue on South Street
2.7 mi·5 min·South Street
23
Turn slight left onto Jackson Street
0.1 mi·30 sec·Jackson Street
24
Turn right
178 ft·13 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.3 mi from Tipton, IN
· 38m into the drive
The midpoint is around 25.3 miles from Tipton, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Lafayette, IN
The final approach into Lafayette, 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
$7.93 one way
$15.85 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg18 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$8.70
$17.41
premium
$4.89
$9.76
$19.51
diesel
$5.61
$11.19
$22.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
15.2
0
$5.32
$2.43
Efficient EV
12.7
0
$4.44
$2.03
EV Truck/SUV
20.3
0
$7.10
$3.24
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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 17, 2026
Origin
Tipton, IN
Morning
in Tipton on Friday
Local time
10:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Mostly Sunny
S 2 to 14 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 1:55AM CDT until April 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 16 at 9:34PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
Lafayette, IN
Morning
in Lafayette on Friday
Local time
10:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny
SSE 1 to 13 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 1:55AM CDT until April 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 16 at 9:34PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
53°F
Frankfort, IN
25 mi in
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
1 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 13m 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 Tipton, IN to Lafayette, IN covers 50.7 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 65, West 200 South, County Road 100 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.3 miles from Tipton, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.93 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 is a straightforward 1h 13m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.8 miles (SR 28 / West 200 South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 5 miles (SR 28 / West 200 South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18.9 miles (US 421; SR 28): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Tipton, IN to Lafayette, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Rossville along the way.
