How far is Lancaster, IL from Bloomington, IL?

The driving distance from Lancaster, IL to Bloomington, IL is about 183 miles (294.5 km), with a travel time of about 03h 09m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 146.7 miles (236.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 18m 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
182.99 mi
03h 09m
Flight
146.68 mi
236.06 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lancaster.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
146.68 mi
Kilometers
236.06 km
Flight Time
00h 17m

Driving Distance

Road route
182.99 mi
Kilometers
294.5 km
Drive Time
03h 09m

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 03h 09m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bloomington
Fri, Apr 17, 4:27 AM CDT
Return by in Lancaster
Fri, Apr 17, 7:36 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lancaster
2026-04-17T01:18
Arrive Bloomington
Fri, Apr 17, 4:27 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 09m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:09 AM to 11:09 AM CDT

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

Leave by
10:42 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lancaster
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
Mattoon
IL

City in Illinois

From Lancaster
93 mi
01h 34m
To Bloomington
90 mi
01h 34m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
86°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 to 12 mph S
Destination
83°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 18 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lancaster and Bloomington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lancaster and Bloomington.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    5.3 mi · 13 min

  2. 2

    Continue on East Lancaster Road

    3.5 mi · 9 min · East Lancaster Road

  3. 3

    Continue on Champion Drive

    1.2 km · 2 min · Champion Drive

  4. 4

    Continue on County Road 1850 N

    2 mi · 5 min · County Road 1850 N

  5. 5

    Turn right onto 500E

    14.3 mi · 20 min · 500E

  6. 6

    Continue on South West Street

    2.5 mi · 5 min · South West Street

  7. 7

    Continue on County Road 1100 East

    6.7 mi · 9 min · County Road 1100 East

  8. 8

    Continue on South Van Buren Street

    11 mi · 15 min · South Van Buren Street

  9. 9

    Turn right

    36.3 mi · 54 min

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Lincoln Avenue

    2.5 mi · 4 min · Lincoln Avenue

  11. 11

    Continue on Illinois Route 16

    5.3 mi · 7 min · Illinois Route 16

  12. 12

    Continue on Charleston Avenue East

    2035 ft · 39 sec · Charleston Avenue East

  13. 13

    Take the ramp slight right toward I-57 North: Champaign

    2575 ft · 1 min

  14. 14

    Merge slight left

    47.4 mi · 51 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward I 74 West: Peoria

    2688 ft · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left

    43.3 mi · 46 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward US 51 South, US 51 Business North: Bloomington

    1673 ft · 41 sec

  18. 18

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    2.8 mi · 6 min · South Main Street

  19. 19

    Continue on South East Street

    2717 ft · 1 min · South East Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North East Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lancaster and Bloomington.

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
20 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-57 North
47.9 mi · 26%
I 74 West
43.8 mi · 24%
500E
14.3 mi · 8%
South Van Buren Street
11 mi · 6%
County Road 1100 East
6.73 mi · 4%
Illinois Route 16
5.3 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

I-57 North

Merge slight left

47.4 mi · 00h 51m

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
03h 09m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+36.3 mi
146.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mattoon
01h 34m from Lancaster
Leave By
10:42 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Lancaster and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Bloomington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lancaster to Bloomington?

The road trip is about 183 miles (294.5 km) and usually takes 03h 09m 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?

Mattoon is a useful midpoint, sitting about 93 miles from Lancaster and 90 miles from Bloomington.

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

The direct path is about 146.7 miles (236.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 36.3 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 10:42 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $24.36 one way or $48.72 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 57.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Lancaster and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Bloomington.

Stop Ideas Near Mattoon

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

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

RAIL

Mattoon station

1718 Broadway Ave.
RAIL

Effingham

43 mi away
401 West National Ave.
RAIL

Illinois Terminal

71 mi away
45 East University Ave.
RAIL

Rantoul

94 mi away
West Sangamon and North Kentucky Aves.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lancaster and Bloomington. Straight-line distance: 146.68 mi (236.06 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Lancaster

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population1,411
Coordinates38.5478300, -87.8653100
Altitude148
CountryUnited States
Bloomington

#2 Bloomington

The second most populous city in McLean County, Illinois.

Population77,132
Coordinates40.4842000, -88.9936900
Altitude243
CountryUnited States
Start: CR 11 (-87.865311, 38.547805)
End: North East Street (-88.993738, 40.484193)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 295 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 05m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 34m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 39m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 02m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 36m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.46 gal
24.44 L · about $24.36
Round trip
$48.72
12.92 gal · 48.88 L
Estimated CO2
57.4 kg one way
Round trip: 114.8 kg / 253 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $24.36 $48.72
Mid-grade $4.25 $27.47 $54.95
Premium $4.65 $30.06 $60.13
Diesel $5.30 $34.26 $68.53

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 17, 2026

There is no time difference between Lancaster and Bloomington. The current time is 01:18:00.

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.