How far is City of Gary, IN from Salem, IN?

The driving distance from City of Gary, IN to Salem, IN is about 253.8 miles (408.5 km), with a travel time of about 04h 53m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 216.8 miles (348.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 46m 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
253.81 mi
04h 53m
Flight
216.79 mi
348.89 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from City of Gary.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
216.79 mi
Kilometers
348.89 km
Flight Time
00h 26m

Driving Distance

Road route
253.81 mi
Kilometers
408.47 km
Drive Time
04h 53m

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 04h 53m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Salem
Mon, May 11, 3:55 PM EDT
Return by in City of Gary
Mon, May 11, 7:48 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave City of Gary
2026-05-11T10:02
Arrive Salem
Mon, May 11, 2:55 PM CDT
Route Timing
04h 53m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:53 AM to 1:53 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:14 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in City of Gary
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
Lebanon
IN

City in Indiana, United States

From City of Gary
126.9 mi
02h 26m
To Salem
126.9 mi
02h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
54°F
Monday

Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 11 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph NNE
Destination
46°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Mon, May 11 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between City of Gary and Salem.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between City of Gary and Salem.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    104 m · 27 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West 8th Avenue

    875 ft · 33 sec · West 8th Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Madison Street

    1992 ft · 1 min · Madison Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto West 5th Avenue

    1.8 mi · 3 min · West 5th Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

    132.6 mi · 2 hr 25 min · Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left

    17.1 mi · 22 min

  7. 7

    Continue on I 70 East: Dayton

    1.9 mi · 3 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    80.9 mi · 1 hr 29 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward SR 56 West: Salem

    1274 ft · 27 sec

  10. 10

    Turn straight onto West McClain Avenue

    1.4 km · 2 min · West McClain Avenue

  11. 11

    Continue on West Mount Drive

    906 ft · 15 sec · West Mount Drive

  12. 12

    Continue on State Road 56

    16.4 mi · 24 min · State Road 56

  13. 13

    Continue on East Hackberry Street

    1.5 km · 2 min · East Hackberry Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto North Main Street

    951 ft · 21 sec · North Main Street

  15. 15

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Westside Road

    93 m · 6 sec · Westside Road

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Westside Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between City of Gary and Salem.

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
16 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
0 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
150 mi · 59%
I 70 East
82.9 mi · 33%
State Road 56
16.4 mi · 6%
West 5th Avenue
1.82 mi · 1%
East Hackberry Street
0.93 mi
West McClain Avenue
0.9 mi
Longest Stretch

Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

Turn right onto Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

133 mi · 02h 25m

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
04h 53m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+37 mi
216.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lebanon
02h 26m from City of Gary
Leave By
7:14 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving City of Gary and Mostly Cloudy near Salem.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from City of Gary to Salem?

The road trip is about 253.8 miles (408.5 km) and usually takes 04h 53m 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?

Lebanon is a useful midpoint, sitting about 126.9 miles from City of Gary and 126.9 miles from Salem.

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

The direct path is about 216.8 miles (348.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 37 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 7:14 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $33.79 one way or $67.58 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 79.6 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between City of Gary and Salem, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around City of Gary and Mostly Cloudy near Salem.

Stop Ideas Near Lebanon

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

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

BUS

Crawfordsville (Bus), Indiana

37 mi away
1000 Smith Ave
RAIL

Crawfordsville

37 mi away
Spring and Green Streets
RAIL

Indianapolis Union Station

41 mi away
350 South Illinois Street
RAIL

Lafayette station

55 mi away
200 North 2nd St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between City of Gary and Salem. Straight-line distance: 216.79 mi (348.89 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 City of Gary

The most populous city in Lake County, Indiana.

Population80,294
Coordinates41.5956000, -87.3452100
Altitude185
CountryUnited States
Salem

#2 Salem

City in Washington Township, Washington County, Indiana, United States

Population6,217
Coordinates38.6056100, -86.1010900
Altitude229
CountryUnited States
Start: City of Gary (-87.34521, 41.5956)
End: Salem (-86.10109, 38.60561)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 408 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 27m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 04m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 13m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 37m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.96 gal
33.9 L · about $33.79
Round trip
$67.58
17.92 gal · 67.8 L
Estimated CO2
79.6 kg one way
Round trip: 159.3 kg / 351 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $33.79 $67.58
Mid-grade $4.25 $38.11 $76.21
Premium $4.65 $41.70 $83.40
Diesel $5.30 $47.52 $95.05

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 · May 11, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between City of Gary, IN and Salem, IN. The current time in City of Gary is 10:02:21, although it is 11:02:21 in Salem.

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.