Chicago to Nashville distance
Chicago and Nashville are 395 miles (635 km) apart in a straight line and 468 miles (752 km) apart by road: about 8 hr 50 min of driving without stops, mostly on I-65 and I-90. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing, the approximate flight time and where every figure comes from.
By the All Map Tools Team
- By road
- 468 mi (752 km)
- Driving time
- 8 hr 50 min
- Straight line
- 395 mi (635 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on November 1, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 395 mi (635 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 468 mi (752 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 8 hr 50 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +18% 1.18 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 53 mph (85 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 173° (south) leaving Chicago toward Nashville |
| Midpoint | 39.0095° N, 87.1999° W near Pleasantville (Indiana) |
| Halfway by road | Near Jonesville (Indiana) 234 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Approximate flight | 1 hr 20 min estimate: 30 min + the straight line at 800 km/h |
| Elevation | Chicago: 588 ft (179 m) · Nashville: 555 ft (169 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | Chicago: 2,731,585 · Nashville: 721,074 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
Chicago to Nashville by road
The fastest driving route is 468 miles (752 km) long and takes about 8 hr 50 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on I-65 (434 mi) and I-90 (26.8 mi).
It goes through 4 states: Illinois (14.1 mi), Indiana (278 mi), Kentucky (137 mi), and Tennessee (37.9 mi). That’s an average of 53 mph (85 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 4 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 10 hr 10 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Chicago and Nashville are 395 miles (635 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 18% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 118. That’s a normal detour between two cities. Of the 110 US driving pairs in this series, it ranks 27th for detour (the average is 16%).
From Chicago, Nashville lies to the south (bearing 173°), and from Nashville, Chicago lies to the north.
Halfway between Chicago and Nashville
Halfway along the straight line, 197 miles (318 km) from each city, is the point 39.0095° N, 87.1999° W. It falls near Pleasantville (Indiana, pop. 127), 4.0 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 234 miles (376 km) from each city, near Jonesville (Indiana, pop. 182), 1.9 mi away. The two midpoints are 68.8 mi apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
Time zone and flight
Chicago and Nashville share the same time all year: both are on Central Time.
A direct flight would take about 1 hr 20 min. That’s an estimate: 30 minutes for takeoff, climb, descent and landing, plus the 635 km straight line at 800 km/h (about 497 mph), a typical airliner cruising speed. Real schedules depend on wind, routing and airports, and not every pair has a direct flight.
The two cities
Chicago and Nashville sit at almost the same elevation: 588 ft (179 m) and 555 ft (169 m).
Chicago has 2.7 million people and Nashville 721,074 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from Chicago to Nashville?
395 miles (635 km) in a straight line and 468 miles (752 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-65 and I-90).
How long is the drive from Chicago to Nashville?
About 8 hr 50 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 4 stops of 20 minutes, about 10 hr 10 min.
Where is the halfway point between Chicago and Nashville?
In a straight line, near Pleasantville (Indiana). By road, 234 mi from each city, near Jonesville (Indiana).
How long is the flight from Chicago to Nashville?
About 1 hr 20 min, estimated from the straight-line distance (635 km): 30 minutes for takeoff and landing plus the trip at 800 km/h. Real flight times vary with wind and routing.
Are Chicago and Nashville in the same time zone?
Yes: both are on Central Time all year.
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
Similar pairs
The ones in this series whose cities are closest to these two, in case another one suits you better.
- Chicago to Louisville 268 mi straight line · 294 mi by road · 5 hr 40 min Louisville, 155 mi from Nashville
- Chicago to Cincinnati 251 mi straight line · 293 mi by road · 5 hr 35 min Cincinnati, 238 mi from Nashville
- Chicago to Indianapolis 164 mi straight line · 180 mi by road · 3 hr 35 min Indianapolis, 251 mi from Nashville
- Chicago to St. Louis 260 mi straight line · 295 mi by road · 5 hr 35 min St. Louis, 253 mi from Nashville
More distances from Chicago
All distances- Chicago to Madison 123 mi straight line · 152 mi by road · 3 hr 10 min
- Chicago to Grand Rapids 127 mi straight line · 176 mi by road · 3 hr 25 min
- Chicago to Dallas 802 mi straight line · 967 mi by road · 17 hr 5 min
- Boston to Chicago 852 mi straight line · 991 mi by road · 18 hr 45 min
- Chicago to Denver 919 mi straight line · 1,005 mi by road · 17 hr 50 min
- Chicago to Toronto 438 mi straight line · 512 mi by road · 9 hr 35 min
More distances from Nashville
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on November 1, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: All Map Tools gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · All Map Tools
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology