How far is Indianapolis, IN from Nashville, IN?

The driving distance from Indianapolis, IN to Nashville, IN is about 44.6 miles (71.7 km), with a travel time of about 01h 12m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 39.1 miles (62.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 25m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
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
44.57 mi
01h 12m
Flight
39.08 mi
62.9 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Indianapolis.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
39.08 mi
Kilometers
62.9 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
44.57 mi
Kilometers
71.73 km
Drive Time
01h 12m

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 01h 12m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Nashville
Sun, Apr 19, 1:41 AM EDT
Return by in Indianapolis
Sun, Apr 19, 2:54 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Indianapolis
2026-04-19T00:29
Arrive Nashville
Sun, Apr 19, 1:41 AM EDT
Route Timing
01h 12m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:13 AM to 11:13 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:04 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Indianapolis
9:30 PM EDT
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
Trafalgar
IN

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

From Indianapolis
22.3 mi
00h 36m
To Nashville
22.2 mi
00h 36m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
57°F
Sunday

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 to 14 mph W
Destination
59°F
Sunday

Chance Light Rain then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 10 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Indianapolis and Nashville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Indianapolis and Nashville.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    78 m · 33 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left

    11 m · 10 sec

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Monument Circle

    93 m · 13 sec · Monument Circle

  4. 4

    Turn right onto North Meridian Street

    2385 ft · 2 min · North Meridian Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Madison Avenue

    152 m · 22 sec · Madison Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn left onto East Henry Street

    106 m · 13 sec · East Henry Street

  7. 7

    Turn right onto South Pennsylvania Street

    966 ft · 33 sec · South Pennsylvania Street

  8. 8

    Continue on Madison Avenue

    145 m · 18 sec · Madison Avenue

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Madison Avenue

    2.5 mi · 5 min · Madison Avenue

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on South East Street

    2.9 mi · 5 min · South East Street

  11. 11

    Turn right onto East Edgewood Avenue

    2640 ft · 53 sec · East Edgewood Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left onto South Meridian Street

    3 mi · 5 min · South Meridian Street

  13. 13

    Continue on County Road 300 West

    21.6 mi · 33 min · County Road 300 West

  14. 14

    Continue on West Washington Street

    1392 ft · 29 sec · West Washington Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Marion Street

    1413 ft · 24 sec · Marion Street

  16. 16

    Continue straight

    12.3 mi · 19 min

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Main Street

    1175 ft · 54 sec · Main Street

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Indianapolis and Nashville.

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
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
40.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
County Road 300 West
21.6 mi · 48%
Marion Street
12.6 mi · 28%
South Meridian Street
3.03 mi · 7%
South East Street
2.94 mi · 7%
Madison Avenue
2.65 mi · 6%
East Edgewood Avenue
0.5 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

County Road 300 West

Continue on County Road 300 West

21.6 mi · 00h 33m

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
01h 12m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.5 mi
39.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Trafalgar
00h 36m from Indianapolis
Leave By
4:04 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny leaving Indianapolis and Chance Light Rain then Mostly Sunny near Nashville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Indianapolis to Nashville?

The road trip is about 44.6 miles (71.7 km) and usually takes 01h 12m 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?

Trafalgar is a useful midpoint, sitting about 22.3 miles from Indianapolis and 22.2 miles from Nashville.

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

The direct path is about 39.1 miles (62.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.5 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 EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:04 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.92 one way or $11.84 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 14 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny around Indianapolis and Chance Light Rain then Mostly Sunny near Nashville.

Stop Ideas Near Trafalgar

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

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

RAIL

Indianapolis Union Station

38 mi away
350 South Illinois Street
RAIL

Connersville station

91 mi away
1012 Eastern Avenue
RAIL

Crawfordsville

95 mi away
Spring and Green Streets
BUS

Crawfordsville (Bus), Indiana

98 mi away
1000 Smith Ave

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Indianapolis and Nashville. Straight-line distance: 39.08 mi (62.9 km).

Indianapolis

#1 Indianapolis

The sixteenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Indianapolis metropolitan area.

Population877,903
Coordinates39.7683800, -86.1580400
Altitude218
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Nashville

Town in Indiana, United States

Population1,097
Coordinates39.2072700, -86.2511000
Altitude181
CountryUnited States
Start: Indianapolis (-86.15804, 39.76838)
End: Nashville (-86.2511, 39.20727)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 72 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 06m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 53m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 44m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 38m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 33m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.57 gal
5.95 L · about $5.92
Round trip
$11.84
3.14 gal · 11.9 L
Estimated CO2
14 kg one way
Round trip: 27.9 kg / 62 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.92 $11.84
Mid-grade $4.25 $6.68 $13.35
Premium $4.65 $7.31 $14.61
Diesel $5.30 $8.33 $16.65

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Indianapolis and Nashville. The current time is 00:29:12.

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.