How far is Merrillville, IN from Bloomington, IN?

The driving distance from Merrillville, IN to Bloomington, IN is about 187.2 miles (301.2 km), with a travel time of about 03h 14m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 165.7 miles (266.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 29m 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
187.18 mi
03h 14m
Flight
165.66 mi
266.6 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Merrillville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
165.66 mi
Kilometers
266.6 km
Flight Time
00h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
187.18 mi
Kilometers
301.23 km
Drive Time
03h 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 03h 14m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bloomington
Tue, May 26, 1:46 AM EDT
Return by in Merrillville
Tue, May 26, 4:01 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Merrillville
2026-05-25T21:31
Arrive Bloomington
Tue, May 26, 12:46 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 14m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:15 AM to 12:15 PM EDT

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

Leave by
10:30 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Merrillville
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
Clarks Hill
IN

City in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States of America

From Merrillville
95.1 mi
01h 37m
To Bloomington
92.1 mi
01h 37m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Memorial Day

Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SSE
Destination
80°F
Memorial Day

Partly Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
1 to 6 mph ENE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Indian Trail

    1156 ft · 56 sec · Indian Trail

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Broadway

    1.4 km · 2 min · Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East 81st Avenue

    1798 ft · 42 sec · East 81st Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 65: Indianapolis, Chicago

    122 m · 10 sec

  5. 5

    Keep slight right to continue on I 65 South: Indianapolis

    2578 ft · 1 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

    122.9 mi · 2 hr 12 min · Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left

    5.9 mi · 7 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 465 South

    1210 ft · 30 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on I 465 South

    1 km · 1 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    13.7 mi · 16 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 69 South: Evansville

    1.3 km · 2 min

  12. 12

    Continue straight

    38.3 mi · 43 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward College Avenue, Walnut Street

    2423 ft · 59 sec

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto North Walnut Street

    3.2 mi · 5 min · North Walnut Street

  15. 15

    Continue on North College Avenue

    1 mi · 2 min · North College Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn left onto West 10th Street

    1851 ft · 55 sec · West 10th Street

  17. 17

    Turn right onto North Dunn Street

    2227 ft · 1 min · North Dunn Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto East 4th Street

    115 m · 15 sec · East 4th Street

  19. 19

    Turn straight

    30 m · 7 sec

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
20 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
129 mi · 69%
I 69 South
39.1 mi · 21%
I 465 South
14.6 mi · 8%
North Walnut Street
3.21 mi · 2%
North College Avenue
1.02 mi · 1%
Broadway
0.89 mi
Longest Stretch

Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

Merge slight left onto Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

123 mi · 02h 12m

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 14m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+21.5 mi
165.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Clarks Hill
01h 37m from Merrillville
Leave By
10:30 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Merrillville and Partly Sunny near Bloomington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 187.2 miles (301.2 km) and usually takes 03h 14m 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?

Clarks Hill is a useful midpoint, sitting about 95.1 miles from Merrillville and 92.1 miles from Bloomington.

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

The direct path is about 165.7 miles (266.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 21.5 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:30 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $24.89 one way or $49.78 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 58.7 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Merrillville and Bloomington, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Merrillville and Partly Sunny near Bloomington.

Stop Ideas Near Clarks Hill

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Clarks Hill and the surrounding midpoint area.
Town of Mulberry - Town Hall & Municipal Utilities
Scenic stop 4.8 mi away

Town of Mulberry - Town Hall & Municipal Utilities

Mulberry , IN
123 S Glick St, Mulberry, IN 46058, United States
Park,Municipal corporation,City or town hall,Public library,Water works
Dayton Town Hall
Meeting point 8.4 mi away

Dayton Town Hall

Dayton , IN
721 Walnut St, Dayton, IN 47941
Rating 5.0/5 1 reviews City government office

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Clarks Hill.

BUS

Crawfordsville (Bus), Indiana

24 mi away
1000 Smith Ave
RAIL

Lafayette station

24 mi away
200 North 2nd St.
RAIL

Crawfordsville

27 mi away
Spring and Green Streets
RAIL

Indianapolis Union Station

72 mi away
350 South Illinois Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Merrillville and Bloomington. Straight-line distance: 165.66 mi (266.6 km).

Merrillville

#1 Merrillville

Town in Ross Township, Lake County, Indiana

Population34,916
Coordinates41.4828100, -87.3328100
Altitude200
CountryUnited States
Bloomington

#2 Bloomington

The most populous city in Monroe County, Indiana.

Population85,603
Coordinates39.1653300, -86.5263900
Altitude235
CountryUnited States
Start: Indian Trail (-87.332937, 41.482543)
End: South Indiana Avenue (-86.52691, 39.165322)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 301 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 14m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 40m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 44m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 07m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 40m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.6 gal
25 L · about $24.89
Round trip
$49.78
13.2 gal · 50 L
Estimated CO2
58.7 kg one way
Round trip: 117.3 kg / 259 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $24.89 $49.78
Mid-grade $4.25 $28.07 $56.14
Premium $4.65 $30.72 $61.43
Diesel $5.30 $35.01 $70.01

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 26, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Merrillville, IN and Bloomington, IN. The current time in Merrillville is 21:31:29, although it is 22:31:29 in Bloomington.

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.