Origin
Waterloo, IL
Evening in Waterloo on Friday
Local time
5:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waterloo, IL to Bremen, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
45.7 mi
74 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterloo, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Waterloo, IL to Bremen, IL is 45.7 miles and takes about 59 minutes via South Main Street and IL 3, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip that keeps you within the Midwest region, specifically within Illinois for its entirety. The drive offers a mixed terrain, suggesting you'll experience both quicker highway sections and potentially slower local roads. Given its short duration, it's an ideal route for a quick excursion or to connect two points without a significant time commitment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 45.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
This 45.7-mile journey features a mixed drive profile, with about 30% of the route on highways. You'll encounter stretches on South Main Street, IL 3, and Lehmen Drive, providing a varied driving experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch spans 16.6 miles, likely offering a chance to settle into a rhythm before transitions occur. Expect the road to shift from potentially busier main streets to more open highway driving as you progress toward Bremen.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Main Street is the longest continuous segment at about 16.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Market Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Waterloo, IL to Bremen, IL is easy. At 59m with 30% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (IL 156 / East 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (IL 156 / South Church Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Market Street
Turn right onto South Market Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 156 / East 4th Street
Turn right onto IL 156 / East 4th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 156 / South Church Street
Turn left onto IL 156 / South Church Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 156 / Park Street
Turn right onto IL 156 / Park Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
IL 3
Turn left onto IL 3
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Main Street | 16.6 mi | 21m |
| IL 3 | 13.6 mi | 15m |
| Lehmen Drive | 7.8 mi | 8m |
| State Street | 6.1 mi | 10m |
| West Holmes Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Park Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Chester Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 4th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Main Street
— 16.6 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterloo, IL and Bremen, IL.
1
Start on West Mill Street
258 ft
·
13 sec
·
West Mill Street
2
Turn right onto South Market Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
South Market Street
3
Turn right onto IL 156
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
East 4th Street
4
Turn left onto IL 156
390 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Church Street
5
Turn right onto IL 156
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Park Street
6
Turn left onto IL 3
14 mi
·
15 min
·
IL 3
7
Turn right onto IL 3
17 mi
·
21 min
·
South Main Street
8
Continue on IL 3
7.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Lehmen Drive
9
Continue on IL 3
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
West Holmes Street
10
Turn left onto IL 150
6.1 mi
·
10 min
·
State Street
11
Turn slight left onto Chester Road
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Chester Road
12
Arrive at destination
Chester Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.8 mi from Waterloo, IL · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.8 miles from Waterloo, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bremen, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Bremen, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.14 one way
$14.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.84 | $15.69 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.79 | $17.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.09 | $20.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.80 | $2.19 |
| Efficient EV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.40 | $2.92 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Destination
Bremen, IL
Evening in Bremen on Friday
Local time
5:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Prairie, IL
23 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
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
59m 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 Waterloo, IL to Bremen, IL covers 45.7 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Main Street, IL 3, Lehmen Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.8 miles from Waterloo, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.14 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.
The drive from Waterloo, IL to Bremen, IL is easy. At 59m with 30% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (IL 156 / East 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (IL 156 / South Church Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Waterloo, IL to Bremen, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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