How far is Rockford, IL from Petersburg, IL?

The driving distance from Rockford, IL to Petersburg, IL is about 201.3 miles (324 km), with a travel time of about 03h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 160.9 miles (259 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 40m 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
201.32 mi
03h 50m
Flight
160.97 mi
259.05 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Rockford.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
160.97 mi
Kilometers
259.05 km
Flight Time
00h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
201.32 mi
Kilometers
324 km
Drive Time
03h 50m

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 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Petersburg
Sun, Apr 19, 10:44 AM CDT
Return by in Rockford
Sun, Apr 19, 2:34 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Rockford
2026-04-19T06:54
Arrive Petersburg
Sun, Apr 19, 10:44 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:50 AM to 11:50 AM CDT

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

Leave by
9:20 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Rockford
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Minonk
IL

City in Woodford County, Illinois, United States

From Rockford
100.7 mi
01h 55m
To Petersburg
100.6 mi
01h 55m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
51°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph WNW
Destination
58°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
12 to 15 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Rockford and Petersburg.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rockford and Petersburg.

  1. 1

    Start on West State Street

    546 ft · 23 sec · West State Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South Church Street

    1519 ft · 37 sec · South Church Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Cedar Street

    84 m · 5 sec · Cedar Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    3.6 mi · 6 min · South Main Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp left

    1707 ft · 44 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

    4.3 mi · 5 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right

    1.2 km · 2 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight right

    118.2 mi · 2 hr 7 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South, US 51 South: Peoria, Champaign, Saint Louis, Decatur

    7.6 mi · 8 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield

    47.8 mi · 51 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 123: Williamsville

    1678 ft · 41 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight right

    112 m · 11 sec

  13. 13

    Turn straight onto County Highway 2

    644 ft · 12 sec · County Highway 2

  14. 14

    Continue on Dinius Road

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Dinius Road

  15. 15

    Continue on County Road 11 North

    3.6 mi · 6 min · County Road 11 North

  16. 16

    Turn right

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Springfield Road

    1810 ft · 1 min · Springfield Road

  18. 18

    Continue on East Hargrave Street

    2666 ft · 2 min · East Hargrave Street

  19. 19

    At the end of the road, turn right onto North Main Street

    1186 ft · 42 sec · North Main Street

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Salem Road

    91 m · 9 sec · Salem Road

  21. 21

    Continue on Athens Blacktop Road

    6.6 mi · 10 min · Athens Blacktop Road

  22. 22

    Turn right

    2.2 mi · 4 min

  23. 23

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South 6th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Rockford and Petersburg.

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
23 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
123 mi · 61%
I 55 South
55.4 mi · 28%
Athens Blacktop Road
6.57 mi · 3%
South Main Street
3.91 mi · 2%
County Road 11 North
3.56 mi · 2%
Dinius Road
2.85 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

Merge slight right

118 mi · 02h 07m

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 50m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+40.4 mi
160.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Minonk
01h 55m from Rockford
Leave By
9:20 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Rockford and Sunny near Petersburg.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Rockford to Petersburg?

The road trip is about 201.3 miles (324 km) and usually takes 03h 50m 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?

Minonk is a useful midpoint, sitting about 100.7 miles from Rockford and 100.6 miles from Petersburg.

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

The direct path is about 160.9 miles (259 km), while the road route adds roughly 40.4 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 9:20 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $26.77 one way or $53.55 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 63.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Rockford and Sunny near Petersburg.

Stop Ideas Near Minonk

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

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

RAIL

Pontiac station

34 mi away
721 West Washington St.
RAIL

Uptown Station

44 mi away
100 East Parkinson St.
RAIL

Dwight station

55 mi away
119 West Main St.
BUS

Peoria, Illinois

61 mi away
6100 West Everett M. Dirksen Parkway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Rockford and Petersburg. Straight-line distance: 160.97 mi (259.05 km).

Rockford

#1 Rockford

The second most populous city in Illinois.

Population144,835
Coordinates42.2711300, -89.0940000
Altitude218
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Petersburg

City in Menard County, Illinois

Population2,190
Coordinates40.0117200, -89.8481700
Altitude156
CountryUnited States
Start: Rockford (-89.094, 42.27113)
End: Petersburg (-89.84817, 40.01172)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 324 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 42m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 02m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 01m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 52m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 30m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.1 gal
26.89 L · about $26.77
Round trip
$53.55
14.2 gal · 53.78 L
Estimated CO2
63.1 kg one way
Round trip: 126.2 kg / 278 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $26.77 $53.55
Mid-grade $4.25 $30.20 $60.39
Premium $4.65 $33.04 $66.09
Diesel $5.30 $37.66 $75.32

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 Illinois · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Rockford and Petersburg. The current time is 06:54:16.

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.