How far is Madison, IN from Lancaster, IN?

The driving distance from Madison, IN to Lancaster, IN is about 11.2 miles (18.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 18m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 9.9 miles (16 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 37m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
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
11.24 mi
00h 18m
Flight
9.97 mi
16.04 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Madison.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
9.97 mi
Kilometers
16.04 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
11.24 mi
Kilometers
18.09 km
Drive Time
00h 18m

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 18m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lancaster
Tue, May 12, 6:23 PM EDT
Return by in Madison
Tue, May 12, 6:42 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Madison
2026-05-12T18:04
Arrive Lancaster
Tue, May 12, 6:23 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 18m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:19 AM to 7:19 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:52 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Madison
10:00 PM EDT
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
Smyrna
IN

Human settlement in United States of America

From Madison
5.6 mi
00h 09m
To Lancaster
5.7 mi
00h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph S
Destination
76°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 7 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    22 m · 7 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West Street

    56 m · 9 sec · West Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto West Main Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · West Main Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Cragmont Street

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Cragmont Street

  5. 5

    Turn left

    1684 ft · 29 sec

  6. 6

    Turn straight onto Lanier Drive

    5.8 mi · 9 min · Lanier Drive

  7. 7

    Turn left

    2.6 mi · 5 min

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn left onto North 700 West

    40 m · 6 sec · North 700 West

  9. 9

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North 700 West

Car Route Details

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

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
9 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
80.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Lanier Drive
5.84 mi · 52%
Cragmont Street
1.67 mi · 15%
West Main Street
0.72 mi · 6%
West Street
0.03 mi
North 700 West
0.02 mi
Longest Stretch

Lanier Drive

Turn straight onto Lanier Drive

5.84 mi · 00h 09m

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 18m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.3 mi
9.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Smyrna
00h 09m from Madison
Leave By
7:52 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Madison and Sunny near Lancaster.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 11.2 miles (18.1 km) and usually takes 00h 18m 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?

Smyrna is a useful midpoint, sitting about 5.6 miles from Madison and 5.7 miles from Lancaster.

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

The direct path is about 9.9 miles (16 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.3 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:52 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.51 one way or $3.02 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Madison and Sunny near Lancaster.

Stop Ideas Near Smyrna

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

64 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.
RAIL

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

89 mi away
1301 Western Ave.
BUS

Cincinnati, OH

92 mi away
1005 Gilbert Avenue
RAIL

Connersville station

101 mi away
1012 Eastern Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Madison and Lancaster. Straight-line distance: 9.97 mi (16.04 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Madison

County seat of Jefferson County, Indiana, United States

Population11,750
Coordinates38.7358900, -85.3799600
Altitude149
CountryUnited States
Lancaster

#2 Lancaster

Township in Wells County, Indiana

Population1,494
Coordinates38.8314500, -85.5185700
Altitude218
CountryUnited States
Start: (-85.379958, 38.735738)
End: North 700 West (-85.518546, 38.831454)

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
0.4 gal
1.5 L · about $1.51
Round trip
$3.02
0.8 gal · 3 L
Estimated CO2
3.6 kg one way
Round trip: 7.1 kg / 16 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $1.51 $3.02
Mid-grade $4.25 $1.70 $3.40
Premium $4.65 $1.86 $3.72
Diesel $5.30 $2.12 $4.24

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 · May 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Madison and Lancaster. The current time is 18:04:23.

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.