How far is Chesterton, IN from Gary, IN?

The driving distance from Chesterton, IN to Gary, IN is about 17.5 miles (28.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14.6 miles (23.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 50m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
17.47 mi
00h 25m
Flight
14.63 mi
23.55 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chesterton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
14.63 mi
Kilometers
23.55 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
17.47 mi
Kilometers
28.11 km
Drive Time
00h 25m

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 00h 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Gary
Wed, Apr 22, 7:20 PM CDT
Return by in Chesterton
Wed, Apr 22, 7:46 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chesterton
2026-04-22T18:55
Arrive Gary
Wed, Apr 22, 7:20 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:25 AM to 7:25 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:40 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Chesterton
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Lake Station
IN

City in Indiana, United States

From Chesterton
8.8 mi
00h 12m
To Gary
8.6 mi
00h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Wednesday

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph NNW
Destination
69°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Chesterton and Gary.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chesterton and Gary.

  1. 1

    Start on South 9th Street

    115 m · 22 sec · South 9th Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Broadway

    2783 ft · 1 min · Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North Jackson Boulevard

    712 ft · 20 sec · North Jackson Boulevard

  4. 4

    Continue on Wagner Road

    1271 ft · 38 sec · Wagner Road

  5. 5

    Turn left onto East Beam Street

    1.3 km · 3 min · East Beam Street

  6. 6

    Turn left

    1.4 km · 1 min

  7. 7

    Take the ramp slight right

    2695 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    6.1 mi · 7 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 90, SR 51, US 6 East

    1139 ft · 28 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 East, I 90 Toll Road: Indiana Toll Road, Chicago Skyway

    1932 ft · 51 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 90 West: Chicago, Chicago Skyway West, Indiana Toll Road West

    1 km · 1 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Indiana Toll Road

    5.4 mi · 6 min · Indiana Toll Road

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward SR 53: Broadway

    2139 ft · 56 sec

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Broadway

    549 ft · 30 sec · Broadway

  15. 15

    Turn right onto West 4th Avenue

    1347 ft · 30 sec · West 4th Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Madison Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · Madison Street

  17. 17

    Turn right onto 10th Place

    1298 ft · 57 sec · 10th Place

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 10th Place

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chesterton and Gary.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
18 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
102.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
East Beam Street
7.48 mi · 43%
Indiana Toll Road
5.4 mi · 31%
Madison Street
0.74 mi · 4%
I 90 West
0.64 mi · 4%
Broadway
0.63 mi · 4%
SR 53
0.41 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

East Beam Street

Merge slight left

6.13 mi · 00h 07m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 25m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.9 mi
14.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lake Station
00h 12m from Chesterton
Leave By
7:40 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny leaving Chesterton and Sunny near Gary.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Chesterton to Gary?

The road trip is about 17.5 miles (28.1 km) and usually takes 00h 25m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Lake Station is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.8 miles from Chesterton and 8.6 miles from Gary.

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

The direct path is about 14.6 miles (23.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.9 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:40 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.34 one way or $4.68 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny around Chesterton and Sunny near Gary.

Stop Ideas Near Lake Station

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

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

BUS

Gary, IN

9 mi away
100 West 4th Avenue
RAIL

Dyer station

25 mi away
913 Sheffield Avenue
RAIL

Hammond–Whiting station

26 mi away
1135 South Calumet Ave.
RAIL

Michigan City

32 mi away
100 Washington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chesterton and Gary. Straight-line distance: 14.63 mi (23.55 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Chesterton

Town in the U.

Population13,433
Coordinates41.6105900, -87.0642000
Altitude195
CountryUnited States
Gary

#2 Gary

The most populous city in Lake County, Indiana.

Population74,693
Coordinates41.5933700, -87.3464300
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Start: South 9th Street (-87.064134, 41.610591)
End: (-87.346439, 41.59327)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 28 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 34m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 26m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 20m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 17m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.62 gal
2.33 L · about $2.34
Round trip
$4.68
1.24 gal · 4.66 L
Estimated CO2
5.5 kg one way
Round trip: 11 kg / 24 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.34 $4.68
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.64 $5.27
Premium $4.65 $2.89 $5.77
Diesel $5.30 $3.29 $6.58

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 Indiana · Apr 22, 2026

There is no time difference between Chesterton and Gary. The current time is 18:55:50.

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.