How far is Gary, IN from Portage, IN?

The driving distance from Gary, IN to Portage, IN is about 11 miles (17.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 17m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 8.9 miles (14.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 35m 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
11 mi
00h 17m
Flight
8.89 mi
14.3 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Gary.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
8.89 mi
Kilometers
14.3 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
11 mi
Kilometers
17.71 km
Drive Time
00h 17m

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 17m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portage
Wed, Apr 22, 7:14 PM CDT
Return by in Gary
Wed, Apr 22, 7:31 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Gary
2026-04-22T18:56
Arrive Portage
Wed, Apr 22, 7:14 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 17m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:18 AM to 7:18 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:54 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Gary
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 Gary
6.2 mi
00h 08m
To Portage
4.8 mi
00h 08m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
69°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph N
Destination
66°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on 10th Place

    77 m · 16 sec · 10th Place

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Harrison Boulevard

    638 ft · 18 sec · Harrison Boulevard

  3. 3

    Continue on Harrison Street

    2542 ft · 1 min · Harrison Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto West 5th Avenue

    2766 ft · 1 min · West 5th Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Broadway

    1020 ft · 36 sec · Broadway

  6. 6

    Take the ramp right toward I 90 East

    2112 ft · 52 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Indiana Toll Road

    8.7 mi · 10 min · Indiana Toll Road

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward Portage

    1.4 km · 2 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left

    47 m · 11 sec

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Willowcreek Road

    3071 ft · 1 min · Willowcreek Road

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    1906 ft · 50 sec · Central Avenue

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Central Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
12 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
109.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Indiana Toll Road
9.58 mi · 87%
Willowcreek Road
0.58 mi · 5%
West 5th Avenue
0.52 mi · 5%
Harrison Street
0.48 mi · 4%
I 90 East
0.4 mi · 4%
Central Avenue
0.36 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Indiana Toll Road

Merge slight left onto Indiana Toll Road

8.68 mi · 00h 10m

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 17m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.1 mi
8.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lake Station
00h 08m from Gary
Leave By
7:54 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Gary 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 Gary to Portage?

The road trip is about 11 miles (17.7 km) and usually takes 00h 17m 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 6.2 miles from Gary and 4.8 miles from Portage.

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

The direct path is about 8.9 miles (14.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.1 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 7:54 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.47 one way or $2.94 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Gary and Mostly Sunny near Portage.

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 Gary and Portage. Straight-line distance: 8.89 mi (14.3 km).

Gary

#1 Gary

The most populous city in Lake County, Indiana.

Population74,693
Coordinates41.5933700, -87.3464300
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Portage

#2 Portage

The second most populous city in Porter County, Indiana.

Population90,543
Coordinates41.5758700, -87.1761500
Altitude194
CountryUnited States
Start: (-87.346439, 41.59327)
End: Central Avenue (-87.17615, 41.575874)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 18 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.39 gal
1.47 L · about $1.47
Round trip
$2.94
0.78 gal · 2.94 L
Estimated CO2
3.5 kg one way
Round trip: 6.9 kg / 15 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $1.47 $2.94
Mid-grade $4.25 $1.66 $3.32
Premium $4.65 $1.82 $3.63
Diesel $5.30 $2.07 $4.14

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 Gary and Portage. The current time is 18:56:47.

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.