How far is Bloomington, IL from Harvard, IL?

The driving distance from Bloomington, IL to Harvard, IL is about 155.3 miles (250 km), with a travel time of about 02h 59m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 135.3 miles (217.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 59m 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
155.34 mi
02h 59m
Flight
135.34 mi
217.81 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Bloomington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
135.34 mi
Kilometers
217.81 km
Flight Time
00h 16m

Driving Distance

Road route
155.34 mi
Kilometers
249.99 km
Drive Time
02h 59m

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 59m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Harvard
Thu, Apr 23, 1:03 AM CDT
Return by in Bloomington
Thu, Apr 23, 4:02 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Bloomington
2026-04-22T22:03
Arrive Harvard
Thu, Apr 23, 1:03 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 59m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM CDT

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

Leave by
12:30 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Bloomington
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
Meriden
IL

Township in LaSalle County, Illinois

From Bloomington
77.7 mi
01h 29m
To Harvard
77.6 mi
01h 29m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
9 mph SW
Destination
72°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph E

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on North East Street

    42 m · 6 sec · North East Street

  2. 2

    Continue on North Main Street

    3.8 mi · 9 min · North Main Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

    2316 ft · 59 sec

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford

    2374 ft · 41 sec

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    119.3 mi · 2 hr 8 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    2.2 mi · 3 min

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    1.7 mi · 2 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight right onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    7.3 mi · 8 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 173: West Lane Road

    1748 ft · 43 sec

  10. 10

    Turn right onto West Lane Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · West Lane Road

  11. 11

    Continue on State Route 173

    5.6 mi · 8 min · State Route 173

  12. 12

    Continue on West Grove Street

    12.4 mi · 18 min · West Grove Street

  13. 13

    Turn left onto South Division Street

    2722 ft · 48 sec · South Division Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Division Street

Car Route Details

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

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
14 steps
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 39 North
124 mi · 80%
West Grove Street
12.4 mi · 8%
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
7.29 mi · 5%
State Route 173
5.55 mi · 4%
North Main Street
3.84 mi · 2%
West Lane Road
1.27 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 39 North

Continue straight

119 mi · 02h 08m

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 59m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
06h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+20 mi
135.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Meriden
01h 29m from Bloomington
Leave By
12:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Sunny leaving Bloomington and Sunny near Harvard.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 155.3 miles (250 km) and usually takes 02h 59m 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?

Meriden is a useful midpoint, sitting about 77.7 miles from Bloomington and 77.6 miles from Harvard.

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

The direct path is about 135.3 miles (217.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 20 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 12:30 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $20.67 one way or $41.33 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 48.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Sunny around Bloomington and Sunny near Harvard.

Stop Ideas Near Meriden

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Meriden, 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 Meriden.

RAIL

Mendota station

7 mi away
783 Main Street
RAIL

Princeton

41 mi away
107 Bicentennial Dr.
RAIL

Plano

42 mi away
101 West Main Street
RAIL

Dwight station

73 mi away
119 West Main St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Bloomington and Harvard. Straight-line distance: 135.34 mi (217.81 km).

Bloomington

#1 Bloomington

The second most populous city in McLean County, Illinois.

Population77,132
Coordinates40.4842000, -88.9936900
Altitude243
CountryUnited States
Harvard

#2 Harvard

Private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Population8,979
Coordinates42.4222400, -88.6137100
Altitude292
CountryUnited States
Start: Bloomington (-88.99369, 40.4842)
End: Harvard (-88.61371, 42.42224)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 250 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 53m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 06m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 35m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 56m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.48 gal
20.75 L · about $20.67
Round trip
$41.33
10.96 gal · 41.5 L
Estimated CO2
48.7 kg one way
Round trip: 97.4 kg / 215 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $20.67 $41.33
Mid-grade $4.25 $23.31 $46.61
Premium $4.65 $25.50 $51.01
Diesel $5.30 $29.07 $58.13

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Bloomington and Harvard. The current time is 22:03:20.

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.