How far is Merrillville, IN from Gary, IN?

The driving distance from Merrillville, IN to Gary, IN is about 12.4 miles (19.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 7.6 miles (12.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
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
12.38 mi
00h 19m
Flight
7.67 mi
12.35 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Merrillville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
7.67 mi
Kilometers
12.35 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
12.38 mi
Kilometers
19.92 km
Drive Time
00h 19m

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 19m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Gary
Wed, Apr 22, 7:16 PM CDT
Return by in Merrillville
Wed, Apr 22, 7:36 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Merrillville
2026-04-22T18:56
Arrive Gary
Wed, Apr 22, 7:16 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 19m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:20 AM to 7:20 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:50 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Merrillville
10:00 PM CDT
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
Ross
IN

Unincorporated community in Lake County, Indiana

From Merrillville
4.7 mi
00h 09m
To Gary
7.7 mi
00h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
70°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph N
Destination
69°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph N

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Indian Trail

    1156 ft · 53 sec · Indian Trail

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Broadway

    3.6 mi · 8 min · Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn left onto West 45th Avenue

    1 mi · 2 min · West 45th Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard

    3.5 mi · 6 min · Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard

  5. 5

    Turn right onto West 15th Avenue

    2432 ft · 56 sec · West 15th Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Harrison Boulevard

    2011 ft · 1 min · Harrison Boulevard

  7. 7

    Turn right onto 10th Place

    77 m · 11 sec · 10th Place

  8. 8

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 10th Place

Car Route Details

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

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
8 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
64.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Broadway
3.65 mi · 29%
Richard G. Hatcher Boulevard
3.52 mi · 28%
West 45th Avenue
1.01 mi · 8%
West 15th Avenue
0.46 mi · 4%
Harrison Boulevard
0.38 mi · 3%
Indian Trail
0.22 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Broadway

At the end of the road, turn right onto Broadway

3.65 mi · 00h 08m

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 19m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.8 mi
7.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Ross
00h 09m from Merrillville
Leave By
7:50 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Merrillville and Sunny near Gary.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 12.4 miles (19.9 km) and usually takes 00h 19m 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?

Ross is a useful midpoint, sitting about 4.7 miles from Merrillville and 7.7 miles from Gary.

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

The direct path is about 7.6 miles (12.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.8 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 CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:50 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.66 one way or $3.32 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Merrillville and Sunny near Gary.

Stop Ideas Near Ross

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

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

BUS

Gary, IN

9 mi away
100 West 4th Avenue
RAIL

Dyer station

12 mi away
913 Sheffield Avenue
RAIL

Hammond–Whiting station

22 mi away
1135 South Calumet Ave.
RAIL

Homewood

25 mi away
18015 Park Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Merrillville and Gary. Straight-line distance: 7.67 mi (12.35 km).

Merrillville

#1 Merrillville

Town in Ross Township, Lake County, Indiana

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

#2 Gary

The most populous city in Lake County, Indiana.

Population74,693
Coordinates41.5933700, -87.3464300
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Start: Indian Trail (-87.332937, 41.482543)
End: (-87.346439, 41.59327)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 20 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 24m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 18m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 14m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 12m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.44 gal
1.65 L · about $1.66
Round trip
$3.32
0.88 gal · 3.3 L
Estimated CO2
3.9 kg one way
Round trip: 7.8 kg / 17 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $1.66 $3.32
Mid-grade $4.25 $1.87 $3.74
Premium $4.65 $2.05 $4.10
Diesel $5.30 $2.33 $4.67

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 22, 2026

There is no time difference between Merrillville and Gary. The current time is 18:56:54.

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.