How far is Gary, IN from Princeton, IN?

The driving distance from Gary, IN to Princeton, IN is about 246.1 miles (396.1 km), with a travel time of about 05h 15m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 224 miles (360.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 31m 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
246.1 mi
05h 15m
Flight
224.04 mi
360.55 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Gary.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
224.04 mi
Kilometers
360.55 km
Flight Time
00h 27m

Driving Distance

Road route
246.1 mi
Kilometers
396.06 km
Drive Time
05h 15m

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 05h 15m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Princeton
Thu, Apr 23, 7:52 AM CDT
Return by in Gary
Thu, Apr 23, 1:08 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Gary
2026-04-23T02:37
Arrive Princeton
Thu, Apr 23, 7:52 AM CDT
Route Timing
05h 15m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:16 AM to 1:16 PM CDT

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

Leave by
6:28 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in 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
Perrysville
IN

Human settlement in Vermillion County, Indiana, United States of America

From Gary
123.2 mi
02h 37m
To Princeton
122.9 mi
02h 37m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S
Destination
81°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 14 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on 10th Place

    17 m · 4 sec · 10th Place

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Harrison Street

    146 m · 28 sec · Harrison Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto West 11th Avenue

    1250 ft · 39 sec · West 11th Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Madison Street

    1406 ft · 48 sec · Madison Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto West 15th Avenue

    1 mi · 2 min · West 15th Avenue

  6. 6

    Continue on Central Avenue

    854 ft · 22 sec · Central Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Martin Luther King Drive

    2.5 mi · 5 min · Martin Luther King Drive

  8. 8

    Turn left onto East Ridge Road

    1276 ft · 35 sec · East Ridge Road

  9. 9

    Take the ramp slight right

    1469 ft · 36 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

    37.2 mi · 41 min · Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward SR 14: Winamac

    2432 ft · 46 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right onto State Road 14

    9.2 mi · 13 min · State Road 14

  13. 13

    Turn left

    25.5 mi · 33 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight left

    21.6 mi · 27 min

  15. 15

    Continue straight

    63.4 mi · 1 hr 21 min

  16. 16

    Continue straight

    57.7 mi · 1 hr 17 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right

    1162 ft · 28 sec

  18. 18

    Merge slight left

    1.5 km · 1 min

  19. 19

    Keep slight right

    20.2 mi · 23 min

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Main Street

  21. 21

    Continue on Old US Highway 41

    3.3 mi · 6 min · Old US Highway 41

  22. 22

    At the end of the road, turn right onto North Main Street

    3046 ft · 1 min · North Main Street

  23. 23

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Main Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
23 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Road 14
173 mi · 70%
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
37.2 mi · 15%
Old US Highway 41
3.34 mi · 1%
Martin Luther King Drive
2.45 mi · 1%
Main Street
1.13 mi
West 15th Avenue
1.04 mi
Longest Stretch

State Road 14

Continue straight

63.4 mi · 01h 21m

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
05h 15m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+22.1 mi
224 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Perrysville
02h 37m from Gary
Leave By
6:28 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Gary and Sunny near Princeton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 246.1 miles (396.1 km) and usually takes 05h 15m 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?

Perrysville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 123.2 miles from Gary and 122.9 miles from Princeton.

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

The direct path is about 224 miles (360.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 22.1 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 6:28 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $32.73 one way or $65.46 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 77.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Perrysville

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

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

BUS

Danville, Illinois

19 mi away
379 Lynch Road
BUS

Crawfordsville (Bus), Indiana

45 mi away
1000 Smith Ave
RAIL

Crawfordsville

45 mi away
Spring and Green Streets
RAIL

Lafayette station

61 mi away
200 North 2nd St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Gary and Princeton. Straight-line distance: 224.04 mi (360.55 km).

Gary

#1 Gary

The most populous city in Lake County, Indiana.

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

#2 Princeton

City in Indiana, United States

Population8,793
Coordinates38.3553200, -87.5675200
Altitude152
CountryUnited States
Start: Gary (-87.34643, 41.59337)
End: Princeton (-87.56752, 38.35532)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 396 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 12m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 06m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 04m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.68 gal
32.87 L · about $32.73
Round trip
$65.46
17.36 gal · 65.74 L
Estimated CO2
77.1 kg one way
Round trip: 154.3 kg / 340 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $32.73 $65.46
Mid-grade $4.25 $36.92 $73.83
Premium $4.65 $40.40 $80.79
Diesel $5.30 $46.04 $92.08

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Gary and Princeton. The current time is 02:37:05.

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.