How far is Jacksonville, IL from Decatur, IL?

The driving distance from Jacksonville, IL to Decatur, IL is about 74.1 miles (119.3 km), with a travel time of about 01h 14m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 68 miles (109.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 28m 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
74.15 mi
01h 14m
Flight
68.05 mi
109.51 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Jacksonville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
68.05 mi
Kilometers
109.51 km
Flight Time
00h 08m

Driving Distance

Road route
74.15 mi
Kilometers
119.33 km
Drive Time
01h 14m

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 14m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Decatur
Sat, Apr 18, 11:51 PM CDT
Return by in Jacksonville
Sun, Apr 19, 1:05 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Jacksonville
2026-04-18T22:36
Arrive Decatur
Sat, Apr 18, 11:51 PM CDT
Route Timing
01h 14m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:14 AM to 11:14 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:02 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Jacksonville
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
Grandview
IL

City in Sangamon County, Illinois, United States of America

From Jacksonville
37.2 mi
00h 37m
To Decatur
37 mi
00h 37m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph W
Destination
66°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
16 to 20 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Jacksonville and Decatur.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Jacksonville and Decatur.

  1. 1

    Start on South Central Park Plaza

    48 m · 9 sec · South Central Park Plaza

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South Mauvaisterre Street

    115 m · 13 sec · South Mauvaisterre Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North Central Park Plaza

    117 m · 13 sec · North Central Park Plaza

  4. 4

    Turn left onto North Sandy Street

    115 m · 13 sec · North Sandy Street

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn left onto South Central Park Plaza

    58 m · 6 sec · South Central Park Plaza

  6. 6

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · South Main Street

  7. 7

    Turn left onto East Morton Avenue

    2.5 mi · 4 min · East Morton Avenue

  8. 8

    Continue on Old Route 36

    1.5 km · 1 min · Old Route 36

  9. 9

    Turn left

    1635 ft · 40 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    33.5 mi · 36 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 72 East, US 36 East: Decatur

    30 mi · 33 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward US 36 East, US 51 South: Decatur, Pana

    1656 ft · 41 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on US 36 East: Decatur

    5.5 mi · 8 min

  14. 14

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    1985 ft · 49 sec · North Main Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto East Wood Street

    91 m · 8 sec · East Wood Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Wood Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Jacksonville and Decatur.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
16 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
21.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Old Route 36
34.4 mi · 46%
I 72 East
30 mi · 40%
US 36 East
5.79 mi · 8%
East Morton Avenue
2.5 mi · 3%
South Main Street
0.73 mi · 1%
North Main Street
0.38 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Old Route 36

Merge slight left

33.5 mi · 00h 36m

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 14m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 28m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.1 mi
68 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Grandview
00h 37m from Jacksonville
Leave By
4:02 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Jacksonville and Showers And Thunderstorms near Decatur.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Jacksonville to Decatur?

The road trip is about 74.1 miles (119.3 km) and usually takes 01h 14m 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?

Grandview is a useful midpoint, sitting about 37.2 miles from Jacksonville and 37 miles from Decatur.

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

The direct path is about 68 miles (109.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.1 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:02 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $9.88 one way or $19.76 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 23.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Jacksonville and Showers And Thunderstorms near Decatur.

Stop Ideas Near Grandview

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

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

RAIL

Springfield station

3 mi away
East Washington and North Third Sts.
RAIL

Lincoln

43 mi away
Broadway and North Chicago Sts.
RAIL

Carlinville

64 mi away
128 Alton Rd.
RAIL

Uptown Station

94 mi away
100 East Parkinson St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Jacksonville and Decatur. Straight-line distance: 68.05 mi (109.51 km).

Jacksonville

#1 Jacksonville

City in Morgan County, Illinois, United States

Population18,488
Coordinates39.7339400, -90.2290100
Altitude186
CountryUnited States
Decatur

#2 Decatur

The most populous city in Macon County, Illinois.

Population70,007
Coordinates39.8403100, -88.9548000
Altitude205
CountryUnited States
Start: South Central Park Plaza (-90.22901, 39.733738)
End: East Wood Street (-88.954801, 39.840341)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 119 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 28m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 51m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 14m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 03m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 55m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.62 gal
9.9 L · about $9.88
Round trip
$19.76
5.24 gal · 19.8 L
Estimated CO2
23.3 kg one way
Round trip: 46.6 kg / 103 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $9.88 $19.76
Mid-grade $4.25 $11.14 $22.29
Premium $4.65 $12.19 $24.39
Diesel $5.30 $13.90 $27.79

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 Illinois · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Jacksonville and Decatur. The current time is 22:36:57.

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.