How far is Alton, IL from Bloomington, IL?

The driving distance from Alton, IL to Bloomington, IL is about 151.8 miles (244.3 km), with a travel time of about 02h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 127 miles (204.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 08m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
151.8 mi
02h 34m
Flight
127 mi
204.39 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Alton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
127 mi
Kilometers
204.39 km
Flight Time
00h 15m

Driving Distance

Road route
151.8 mi
Kilometers
244.3 km
Drive Time
02h 34m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 02h 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bloomington
Sun, Apr 19, 5:24 AM CDT
Return by in Alton
Sun, Apr 19, 7:58 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Alton
2026-04-19T02:49
Arrive Bloomington
Sun, Apr 19, 5:24 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:34 AM to 12:34 PM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
1:22 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Alton
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Chatham
IL

Village in Illinois, USA

From Alton
75.6 mi
01h 17m
To Bloomington
76.2 mi
01h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
9 to 14 mph W
Destination
54°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
13 to 18 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Alton and Bloomington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Alton and Bloomington.

  1. 1

    Start on Alby Street

    58 m · 10 sec · Alby Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto East Broadway

    649 ft · 22 sec · East Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Piasa Street

    2192 ft · 37 sec · Piasa Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Martin Luther King Drive

    1.5 km · 1 min · Martin Luther King Drive

  5. 5

    Turn right onto College Avenue

    1274 ft · 26 sec · College Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn right

    20 m · 1 sec

  7. 7

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward College Avenue

    116 m · 10 sec · College Avenue

  8. 8

    Exit the roundabout onto College Avenue

    3.6 mi · 6 min · College Avenue

  9. 9

    Continue on West Macarthur Drive

    1.3 mi · 2 min · West Macarthur Drive

  10. 10

    Continue on West MacArthur Drive

    1.4 mi · 3 min · West MacArthur Drive

  11. 11

    Continue on West Bethalto Drive

    1.8 mi · 4 min · West Bethalto Drive

  12. 12

    Continue on State Route 140

    9.6 mi · 13 min · State Route 140

  13. 13

    Continue on West State Street

    1.3 km · 2 min · West State Street

  14. 14

    Continue on State Route 140

    135 m · 14 sec · State Route 140

  15. 15

    Take the ramp left

    1515 ft · 38 sec

  16. 16

    Merge slight left

    96.7 mi · 1 hr 44 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on I 55 North: Chicago

    29.4 mi · 31 min

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on South Veterans Parkway

    1680 ft · 21 sec · South Veterans Parkway

  19. 19

    Continue on South Veterans Parkway

    2.1 mi · 3 min · South Veterans Parkway

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward US 51 Business

    1386 ft · 40 sec

  21. 21

    Turn left onto South Main Street

    1.3 mi · 3 min · South Main Street

  22. 22

    Continue on South East Street

    2717 ft · 1 min · South East Street

  23. 23

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North East Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Alton and Bloomington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
23 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
15.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Route 140
107 mi · 70%
I 55 North
29.4 mi · 19%
College Avenue
3.89 mi · 3%
West Macarthur Drive
2.69 mi · 2%
South Veterans Parkway
2.47 mi · 2%
West Bethalto Drive
1.75 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

State Route 140

Merge slight left

96.7 mi · 01h 44m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 34m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 08m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+24.8 mi
127 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Chatham
01h 17m from Alton
Leave By
1:22 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Alton and Sunny near Bloomington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Alton to Bloomington?

The road trip is about 151.8 miles (244.3 km) and usually takes 02h 34m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Chatham is a useful midpoint, sitting about 75.6 miles from Alton and 76.2 miles from Bloomington.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 127 miles (204.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 24.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 1:22 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $20.21 one way or $40.43 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 47.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Alton and Sunny near Bloomington.

Stop Ideas Near Chatham

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Chatham, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Chatham.

RAIL

Springfield station

15 mi away
East Washington and North Third Sts.
RAIL

Carlinville

47 mi away
128 Alton Rd.
RAIL

Lincoln

60 mi away
Broadway and North Chicago Sts.
RAIL

Alton

93 mi away
3400 College Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Alton and Bloomington. Straight-line distance: 127 mi (204.39 km).

Alton

#1 Alton

City in Madison County, Illinois, United States

Population26,049
Coordinates38.8906000, -90.1842800
Altitude150
CountryUnited States
Bloomington

#2 Bloomington

The second most populous city in McLean County, Illinois.

Population77,132
Coordinates40.4842000, -88.9936900
Altitude243
CountryUnited States
Start: Alby Street (-90.184278, 38.8906)
End: North East Street (-88.993738, 40.484193)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 244 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 03m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 47m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 02m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 31m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 53m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.36 gal
20.28 L · about $20.21
Round trip
$40.43
10.72 gal · 40.56 L
Estimated CO2
47.6 kg one way
Round trip: 95.3 kg / 210 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $20.21 $40.43
Mid-grade $4.25 $22.80 $45.59
Premium $4.65 $24.95 $49.89
Diesel $5.30 $28.43 $56.86

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Illinois · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Alton and Bloomington. The current time is 02:49:59.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.