How far is Franklin, WI from Portage, WI?

The driving distance from Franklin, WI to Portage, WI is about 108.4 miles (174.5 km), with a travel time of about 02h 04m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 84.6 miles (136.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 09m 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
108.41 mi
02h 04m
Flight
84.64 mi
136.21 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Franklin.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
84.64 mi
Kilometers
136.21 km
Flight Time
00h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
108.41 mi
Kilometers
174.47 km
Drive Time
02h 04m

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 04m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portage
Sun, Apr 19, 2:11 AM CDT
Return by in Franklin
Sun, Apr 19, 4:16 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Franklin
2026-04-19T00:07
Arrive Portage
Sun, Apr 19, 2:11 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 04m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:05 AM to 12:05 PM CDT

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

Leave by
2:20 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Franklin
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
Lake Mills
WI

City in Iowa, USA

From Franklin
54.1 mi
01h 02m
To Portage
54.3 mi
01h 02m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
46°F
Sunday

Slight Chance Snow Showers then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph W
Destination
49°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Franklin and Portage.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Franklin and Portage.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    43 m · 11 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right

    27 m · 8 sec

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right

    117 m · 17 sec

  4. 4

    Turn left onto West Saint Martins Road

    765 ft · 15 sec · West Saint Martins Road

  5. 5

    Continue on South Lovers Lane Road

    4.4 mi · 8 min · South Lovers Lane Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 43 North, US 45 North

    2070 ft · 53 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Rock Freeway

    1224 ft · 19 sec · Rock Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight left toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison

    3078 ft · 55 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight right onto Zoo Freeway

    3.7 mi · 5 min · Zoo Freeway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee

    937 ft · 16 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 94 West: Madison

    3267 ft · 56 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I 94 West: Madison

    665 ft · 11 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto East-West Freeway

    10.2 mi · 12 min · East-West Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on East-West Freeway

    53.5 mi · 57 min · East-West Freeway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau Claire

    29.1 mi · 31 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on WI 78 South, I 39 North: Merrimac, Portage, Wausau

    1128 ft · 15 sec

  17. 17

    Continue on I 39 North: Portage, Wausau

    2.8 mi · 3 min

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward WI 33, I 90 Alternate: Portage

    1373 ft · 34 sec

  19. 19

    Turn right onto State Highway 33

    1.8 mi · 3 min · State Highway 33

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Cook Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Franklin and Portage.

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
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
18.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
East-West Freeway
63.8 mi · 59%
I 39 North
31.9 mi · 29%
South Lovers Lane Road
4.43 mi · 4%
Zoo Freeway
3.68 mi · 3%
State Highway 33
1.79 mi · 2%
I 94 West
0.92 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

East-West Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on East-West Freeway

53.5 mi · 00h 57m

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 04m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+23.8 mi
84.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lake Mills
01h 02m from Franklin
Leave By
2:20 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Snow Showers then Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Franklin and Mostly Sunny near Portage.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Franklin to Portage?

The road trip is about 108.4 miles (174.5 km) and usually takes 02h 04m 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?

Lake Mills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 54.1 miles from Franklin and 54.3 miles from Portage.

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

The direct path is about 84.6 miles (136.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 23.8 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 2:20 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $14.44 one way or $28.89 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 34 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Snow Showers then Slight Chance Rain Showers around Franklin and Mostly Sunny near Portage.

Stop Ideas Near Lake Mills

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

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

RAIL

Columbus

30 mi away
359 North Ludington Street
BUS

Madison (South), Wisconsin

33 mi away
Hwy 51 & East Broadway Ave.
BUS

Madison, Wisconsin

40 mi away
800 Langdon St.
BUS

Janesville, Wisconsin

41 mi away
3120 North Pontiac Drive

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Franklin and Portage. Straight-line distance: 84.64 mi (136.21 km).

Franklin

#1 Franklin

Third-class city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Population36,222
Coordinates42.8886300, -88.0384200
Altitude244
CountryUnited States
Portage

#2 Portage

Fourth-class city in Columbia County, Wisconsin

Population10,381
Coordinates43.5391500, -89.4626200
Altitude241
CountryUnited States
Start: Franklin (-88.03842, 42.88863)
End: Portage (-89.46262, 43.53915)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 174 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 42m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 10m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 48m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 32m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 21m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.83 gal
14.48 L · about $14.44
Round trip
$28.89
7.66 gal · 28.96 L
Estimated CO2
34 kg one way
Round trip: 68.1 kg / 150 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $14.44 $28.89
Mid-grade $4.25 $16.29 $32.58
Premium $4.65 $17.82 $35.65
Diesel $5.30 $20.31 $40.63

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 Wisconsin · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Franklin and Portage. The current time is 00:07:10.

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.