How far is Merrillville, IN from Lawrence, IN?

The driving distance from Merrillville, IN to Lawrence, IN is about 147.3 miles (237 km), with a travel time of about 02h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 132.7 miles (213.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 49m 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
147.27 mi
02h 24m
Flight
132.67 mi
213.51 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Merrillville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
132.67 mi
Kilometers
213.51 km
Flight Time
00h 16m

Driving Distance

Road route
147.27 mi
Kilometers
237.01 km
Drive Time
02h 24m

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 02h 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lawrence
Tue, May 26, 1:51 AM EDT
Return by in Merrillville
Tue, May 26, 3:15 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Merrillville
2026-05-25T22:26
Arrive Lawrence
Tue, May 26, 12:51 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
11:25 AM to 1:25 PM EDT

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

Leave by
1:40 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Merrillville
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
Battle Ground
IN

Town in Indiana, United States

From Merrillville
73.6 mi
01h 12m
To Lawrence
73.7 mi
01h 12m

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
3 to 7 mph ENE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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 right

    5.1 mi · 6 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight right

    12.5 mi · 15 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight right

    3.4 mi · 4 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 36 East, SR 67 North: Pendleton Pike

    1367 ft · 32 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on US 36 East, SR 67 North: Lawrence

    55 m · 7 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Pendleton Pike

    1.2 km · 2 min · Pendleton Pike

  13. 13

    Turn left onto McCoy Street

    127 m · 19 sec · McCoy Street

  14. 14

    Turn left

    18 m · 6 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right

    23 m · 6 sec

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
16 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
3 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
144 mi · 98%
Broadway
0.89 mi · 1%
Pendleton Pike
0.74 mi · 1%
I 65 South
0.49 mi
East 81st Avenue
0.34 mi
US 36 East
0.29 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 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
02h 24m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+14.6 mi
132.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Battle Ground
01h 12m from Merrillville
Leave By
1:40 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Merrillville and Partly Sunny near Lawrence.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 147.3 miles (237 km) and usually takes 02h 24m 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?

Battle Ground is a useful midpoint, sitting about 73.6 miles from Merrillville and 73.7 miles from Lawrence.

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

The direct path is about 132.7 miles (213.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 14.6 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 1:40 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $19.61 one way or $39.22 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 46.2 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Merrillville and Lawrence, 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 Lawrence.

Stop Ideas Near Battle Ground

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

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

RAIL

Lafayette station

11 mi away
200 North 2nd St.
BUS

Crawfordsville (Bus), Indiana

48 mi away
1000 Smith Ave
RAIL

Crawfordsville

52 mi away
Spring and Green Streets
RAIL

Rensselaer

55 mi away
619 North Cullen Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Merrillville and Lawrence. Straight-line distance: 132.67 mi (213.51 km).

Merrillville

#1 Merrillville

Town in Ross Township, Lake County, Indiana

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

#2 Lawrence

A city in Marion County, Indiana.

Population49,545
Coordinates39.8386500, -86.0252600
Altitude266
CountryUnited States
Start: Indian Trail (-87.332937, 41.482543)
End: (-86.025248, 39.83865)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 237 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 54m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 40m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 56m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 06m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 50m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.2 gal
19.67 L · about $19.61
Round trip
$39.22
10.4 gal · 39.34 L
Estimated CO2
46.2 kg one way
Round trip: 92.4 kg / 204 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $19.61 $39.22
Mid-grade $4.25 $22.12 $44.23
Premium $4.65 $24.20 $48.40
Diesel $5.30 $27.58 $55.16

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 Lawrence, IN. The current time in Merrillville is 22:26:33, although it is 23:26:33 in Lawrence.

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.