How far is Sidney, MT from Polson, MT?

The driving distance from Sidney, MT to Polson, MT is about 611.7 miles (984.4 km), with a travel time of about 10h 11m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 465 miles (748.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 20h 23m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT.
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
611.68 mi
10h 11m
Flight
464.96 mi
748.28 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sidney.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
464.96 mi
Kilometers
748.28 km
Flight Time
00h 56m

Driving Distance

Road route
611.68 mi
Kilometers
984.4 km
Drive Time
10h 11m

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 10h 11m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Polson
Thu, Oct 15, 11:28 PM MDT
Return by in Sidney
Fri, Oct 16, 9:40 AM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sidney
2026-10-15T13:16
Arrive Polson
Thu, Oct 15, 11:28 PM MDT
Route Timing
10h 11m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
4:12 PM to 5:42 PM MDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
3:36 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sidney
8:00 PM MDT
Overnight-style route

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
Big Timber
MT

City in and county seat of Sweet Grass County, Montana, United States

From Sidney
340.9 mi
05h 05m
To Polson
270.8 mi
05h 05m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
47°F
Today

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 11:00 AM MDT
Wind
23 to 28 mph NW
Destination
56°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 12:00 PM MDT
Wind
3 mph NNE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sidney and Polson.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sidney and Polson.

  1. 1

    Start on North Central Avenue

    2.5 mi · 3 min · North Central Avenue

  2. 2

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    41 m · 2 sec

  3. 3

    Exit the roundabout

    48.9 mi · 56 min

  4. 4

    Take the exit right

    1385 ft · 34 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    212.8 mi · 3 hr 31 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    2.8 mi · 3 min

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    112.8 mi · 1 hr 52 min

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    7 mi · 7 min

  9. 9

    Continue straight

    113.4 mi · 1 hr 54 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on I 90 West: Missoula

    121.8 mi · 1 hr 57 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward US 93 North, MT 200 West: Kalispell

    1009 ft · 25 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on US 93 North, MT 200 West: Kalispell

    60.4 mi · 1 hr 15 min

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Main Street

    94 m · 6 sec · Main Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sidney and Polson.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
14 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
2.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Central Avenue
500 mi · 82%
I 90 West
122 mi · 20%
US 93 North
60.6 mi · 10%
Main Street
0.06 mi
Longest Stretch

North Central Avenue

Merge slight left

213 mi · 03h 31m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
10h 11m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
20h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+146.7 mi
465 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Big Timber
05h 05m from Sidney
Leave By
3:36 PM MDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Sidney and Sunny near Polson.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sidney to Polson?

The road trip is about 611.7 miles (984.4 km) and usually takes 10h 11m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Big Timber is a useful midpoint, sitting about 340.9 miles from Sidney and 270.8 miles from Polson.

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

The direct path is about 465 miles (748.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 146.7 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 7:30 AM MDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $97.03 one way or $194.05 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 191.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Sidney and Sunny near Polson.

Stop Ideas Near Big Timber

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

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

BUS

Livingston, MT

49 mi away
1404 East Park Street \r\n
BUS

Bozeman, MT

96 mi away
6505 Jack Rabbit Lane
BUS

Billings, MT

113 mi away
2501 1st Avenue North

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sidney and Polson. Straight-line distance: 464.96 mi (748.28 km).

Sidney

#1 Sidney

City in Montana, United States

Population6,297
Coordinates47.7166800, -104.1563300
Altitude594
CountryUnited States
Polson

#2 Polson

City in Lake County, Montana, United States

Population5,181
Coordinates47.6935500, -114.1631700
Altitude892
CountryUnited States
Start: North Central Avenue (-104.156325, 47.716678)
End: Main Street (-114.163409, 47.69355)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 984 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)20h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)15h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)12h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)10h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)08h 44m
80 mph (129 km/h)07h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
21.59 gal
81.71 L · about $97.03
Round trip
$194.05
43.18 gal · 163.42 L
Estimated CO2
191.9 kg one way
Round trip: 383.7 kg / 846 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.49 $97.03 $194.05
Mid-grade $4.83 $104.17 $208.34
Premium $5.19 $112.12 $224.23
Diesel $6.11 $131.91 $263.83

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 Montana · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Sidney and Polson. The current time is 13:16:25.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.