How far is Chester, IL from Bloomington, IL?

The driving distance from Chester, IL to Bloomington, IL is about 212.8 miles (342.5 km), with a travel time of about 03h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 183.1 miles (294.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 04m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
212.84 mi
03h 32m
Flight
183.06 mi
294.6 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chester.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
183.06 mi
Kilometers
294.6 km
Flight Time
00h 22m

Driving Distance

Road route
212.84 mi
Kilometers
342.54 km
Drive Time
03h 32m

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 03h 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bloomington
Wed, Apr 22, 11:52 PM CDT
Return by in Chester
Thu, Apr 23, 3:25 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chester
2026-04-22T20:20
Arrive Bloomington
Wed, Apr 22, 11:52 PM CDT
Route Timing
03h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:32 AM to 11:32 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:56 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Chester
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Litchfield
IL

City in Illinois, United States

From Chester
103.1 mi
01h 46m
To Bloomington
109.7 mi
01h 46m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 9 mph SW
Destination
78°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on East Stacey Street

    38 m · 11 sec · East Stacey Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto State Street

    118 m · 10 sec · State Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East Holmes Street

    2470 ft · 32 sec · East Holmes Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Lehmen Drive

    7.8 mi · 9 min · Lehmen Drive

  5. 5

    Continue on South State Street

    17.7 mi · 23 min · South State Street

  6. 6

    Continue straight

    20.1 mi · 30 min

  7. 7

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Illinois Street

    54 m · 4 sec · North Illinois Street

  8. 8

    Exit the rotary onto North Illinois Street

    9.8 mi · 15 min · North Illinois Street

  9. 9

    Continue on South Morrison Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · South Morrison Avenue

  10. 10

    Continue on Vandalia Street

    2.8 mi · 5 min · Vandalia Street

  11. 11

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 55 North, I 70 East

    2235 ft · 55 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    3.8 mi · 4 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 55 North, I 270 West: Chicago, Springfield, Kansas City

    107.9 mi · 1 hr 57 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on I 55 North: Chicago

    29.4 mi · 31 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on South Veterans Parkway

    1680 ft · 21 sec · South Veterans Parkway

  16. 16

    Continue on South Veterans Parkway

    2.1 mi · 3 min · South Veterans Parkway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward US 51 Business

    1386 ft · 40 sec

  18. 18

    Turn left onto South Main Street

    1.3 mi · 3 min · South Main Street

  19. 19

    Continue on South East Street

    2717 ft · 1 min · South East Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North East Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chester 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
20 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 55 North
141 mi · 66%
South State Street
37.9 mi · 18%
North Illinois Street
9.78 mi · 5%
Lehmen Drive
7.85 mi · 4%
Vandalia Street
2.76 mi · 1%
South Veterans Parkway
2.47 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 55 North

Keep slight left to continue on I 55 North, I 270 West: Chicago, Springfield, Kansas City

108 mi · 01h 57m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 32m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+29.7 mi
183.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Litchfield
01h 46m from Chester
Leave By
9:56 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

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

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 212.8 miles (342.5 km) and usually takes 03h 32m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Litchfield is a useful midpoint, sitting about 103.1 miles from Chester and 109.7 miles from Bloomington.

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

The direct path is about 183.1 miles (294.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 29.7 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:56 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $28.32 one way or $56.64 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 66.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Litchfield

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

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

RAIL

Carlinville

23 mi away
128 Alton Rd.
RAIL

Alton

51 mi away
3400 College Ave.
RAIL

Springfield station

70 mi away
East Washington and North Third Sts.
RAIL

Gateway Transportation Center

78 mi away
551 South 16th St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chester and Bloomington. Straight-line distance: 183.06 mi (294.6 km).

Chester

#1 Chester

City in Illinois

Population8,145
Coordinates37.9136600, -89.8220500
Altitude204
CountryUnited States
Bloomington

#2 Bloomington

The second most populous city in McLean County, Illinois.

Population77,132
Coordinates40.4842000, -88.9936900
Altitude243
CountryUnited States
Start: East Stacey Street (-89.822149, 37.913582)
End: North East Street (-88.993738, 40.484193)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 343 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 05m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 32m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 02m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 39m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.51 gal
28.43 L · about $28.32
Round trip
$56.64
15.02 gal · 56.86 L
Estimated CO2
66.7 kg one way
Round trip: 133.5 kg / 294 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $28.32 $56.64
Mid-grade $4.25 $31.94 $63.88
Premium $4.65 $34.95 $69.90
Diesel $5.30 $39.83 $79.67

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 Chester and Bloomington. The current time is 20:20:29.

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.