Chicago to Indianapolis distance
Chicago and Indianapolis are 164 miles (263 km) apart in a straight line and 180 miles (290 km) apart by road: about 3 hr 35 min of driving without stops, mostly on I-65 and I-90. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing, the time difference and where every figure comes from.
By the Mapsfera Team
- By road
- 180 mi (290 km)
- Driving time
- 3 hr 35 min
- Straight line
- 164 mi (263 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on October 31, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 164 mi (263 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 180 mi (290 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 3 hr 35 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +10% 1.10 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 50 mph (81 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 151° (southeast) leaving Chicago toward Indianapolis |
| Midpoint | 40.8117° N, 86.8924° W near Reynolds (Indiana) |
| Halfway by road | Near Wolcott (Indiana) 90.0 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | 1 hour ahead Indianapolis compared with Chicago |
| Elevation | Chicago: 588 ft (179 m) · Indianapolis: 730 ft (223 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | Chicago: 2,731,585 · Indianapolis: 901,116 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
Chicago to Indianapolis by road
The fastest driving route is 180 miles (290 km) long and takes about 3 hr 35 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on I-65 (148 mi) and I-90 (26.8 mi).
It goes through 2 states: Illinois (14.1 mi) and Indiana (166 mi). That’s an average of 50 mph (81 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 1 stop of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 3 hr 55 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Chicago and Indianapolis are 164 miles (263 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 10% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 110. The route runs almost straight. Of the 40 US pairs in this series, it ranks 28th for detour (the average is 14%).
From Chicago, Indianapolis lies to the southeast (bearing 151°), and from Indianapolis, Chicago lies to the northwest.
Halfway between Chicago and Indianapolis
Halfway along the straight line, 81.8 miles (132 km) from each city, is the point 40.8117° N, 86.8924° W. It falls near Reynolds (Indiana, pop. 538), 4.4 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 90.0 miles (145 km) from each city, near Wolcott (Indiana, pop. 963), 4.7 mi away. The two midpoints are 12.6 mi apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
Time difference and flight
Indianapolis is 1 hour ahead of Chicago all year (Eastern Time versus Central Time): when it’s 12:00 in Chicago, it’s 13:00 in Indianapolis.
No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.
The two cities
Chicago sits at 588 ft (179 m) and Indianapolis at 730 ft (223 m), 142 ft (43 m) higher.
Chicago has 2.7 million people and Indianapolis 901,116 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from Chicago to Indianapolis?
164 miles (263 km) in a straight line and 180 miles (290 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-65 and I-90).
How long is the drive from Chicago to Indianapolis?
About 3 hr 35 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 1 stop of 20 minutes, about 3 hr 55 min.
Where is the halfway point between Chicago and Indianapolis?
In a straight line, near Reynolds (Indiana). By road, 90.0 mi from each city, near Wolcott (Indiana).
What’s the time difference between Chicago and Indianapolis?
Indianapolis is 1 hour ahead of Chicago all year: when it’s 12:00 in Chicago, it’s 13:00 in Indianapolis.
Which direction is Indianapolis from Chicago?
Southeast: the straight line leaves Chicago on a bearing of 151° (0° is north and 90° is east).
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
More distances from Chicago
All distances- Chicago to St. Louis 260 mi straight line · 295 mi by road · 5 hr 35 min
- Chicago to Minneapolis 356 mi straight line · 413 mi by road · 7 hr 50 min
- New York to Chicago 714 mi straight line · 790 mi by road · 14 hr 50 min
- Los Angeles to Chicago 1,744 mi straight line · 2,019 mi by road · 35 hr 25 min
- Chicago to Houston 938 mi straight line · 1,085 mi by road · 19 hr 50 min
- Chicago to Detroit 239 mi straight line · 281 mi by road · 5 hr 15 min
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on October 31, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: Mapsfera gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · Mapsfera
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology