How far is Portage, IN from Gary, IN?

The driving distance from Portage, IN to Gary, IN is about 11.9 miles (19.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 8.9 miles (14.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 38m 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
11.89 mi
00h 19m
Flight
8.89 mi
14.3 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Portage.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
8.89 mi
Kilometers
14.3 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
11.89 mi
Kilometers
19.13 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 15, 10:12 PM CDT
Return by in Portage
Wed, Apr 15, 10:31 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Portage
2026-04-15T21:52
Arrive Gary
Wed, Apr 15, 10:12 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
7:19 AM to 7:19 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:52 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Portage
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

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
Lake Station
IN

City in Indiana, United States

From Portage
6 mi
00h 09m
To Gary
6 mi
00h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Today

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 9:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph SSW
Destination
65°F
Overnight

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 12:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Central Avenue

    1861 ft · 53 sec · Central Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Willowcreek Road

    2930 ft · 1 min · Willowcreek Road

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 80, I 90

    132 m · 12 sec

  4. 4

    Keep slight right

    673 ft · 16 sec

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    1945 ft · 47 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Indiana Toll Road

    8.7 mi · 10 min · Indiana Toll Road

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward SR 53: Broadway

    2139 ft · 56 sec

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Broadway

    549 ft · 30 sec · Broadway

  9. 9

    Turn right onto West 4th Avenue

    1347 ft · 30 sec · West 4th Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Madison Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · Madison Street

  11. 11

    Turn right onto 10th Place

    1298 ft · 57 sec · 10th Place

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 10th Place

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Portage 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
12 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
100.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Indiana Toll Road
8.65 mi · 73%
Madison Street
0.74 mi · 6%
I 80
0.58 mi · 5%
Willowcreek Road
0.55 mi · 5%
SR 53
0.41 mi · 3%
Central Avenue
0.35 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Indiana Toll Road

Merge slight left onto Indiana Toll Road

8.65 mi · 00h 10m

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 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3 mi
8.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lake Station
00h 09m from Portage
Leave By
7:52 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Portage and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Gary.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 11.9 miles (19.1 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?

Lake Station is a useful midpoint, sitting about 6 miles from Portage and 6 miles from Gary.

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

The direct path is about 8.9 miles (14.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 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 CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:52 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.58 one way or $3.17 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Portage and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Gary.

Stop Ideas Near Lake Station

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

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

BUS

Gary, IN

9 mi away
100 West 4th Avenue
RAIL

Dyer station

25 mi away
913 Sheffield Avenue
RAIL

Hammond–Whiting station

26 mi away
1135 South Calumet Ave.
RAIL

Michigan City

32 mi away
100 Washington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Portage and Gary. Straight-line distance: 8.89 mi (14.3 km).

Portage

#1 Portage

The second most populous city in Porter County, Indiana.

Population90,543
Coordinates41.5758700, -87.1761500
Altitude194
CountryUnited States
Gary

#2 Gary

The most populous city in Lake County, Indiana.

Population74,693
Coordinates41.5933700, -87.3464300
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Start: Central Avenue (-87.17615, 41.575874)
End: (-87.346439, 41.59327)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 19 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 23m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 14m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.42 gal
1.59 L · about $1.58
Round trip
$3.17
0.84 gal · 3.18 L
Estimated CO2
3.7 kg one way
Round trip: 7.5 kg / 17 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $1.58 $3.17
Mid-grade $4.25 $1.79 $3.57
Premium $4.65 $1.95 $3.91
Diesel $5.30 $2.23 $4.46

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Portage and Gary. The current time is 21:52:59.

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.