A Road Trip from Carmel, Indiana to Raleigh, Mississippi: How Much Will It Cost You?

Are you thinking about taking a road trip from Indiana to Mississippi? It's a long drive, but with the right route and planning, it can be a fun adventure for you and your family or friends. Of course, one of the most important things to consider when planning a road trip is the cost. In this blog post, we'll break down the cost of driving from Carmel, Indiana to Raleigh, Mississippi based on current gas prices.

Route #1: I-65 S and I-59 S (850 miles, 13 hours)

The first route we'll consider is taking I-65 S and I-59 S all the way down to Raleigh. This route is the shortest and fastest, but it does have toll roads and can be busy during peak traffic hours.

Assuming your car gets 25 miles per gallon, and you're paying $2.50 per gallon for gas, you'll need 34 gallons of gas for the entire trip, costing you a total of $85. Plus, there is one toll road, the Ohio River Bridges, which will cost you $4.

So, altogether, this route would cost you about $89 for gas and tolls. Keep in mind that this route takes about 13 hours of driving, so you'll want to factor in any expenses for food, lodging, and entertainment.

Route #2: I-65 S, I-20 E, and I-59 S (925 miles, 15 hours)

Another popular route is taking I-65 S down to Birmingham, Alabama, then taking I-20 E to Meridian, Mississippi, and finally taking I-59 S down to Raleigh. While this route is longer than the first, it may be less busy and have fewer toll roads.

Using the same gas prices as before, you'll need about 37 gallons of gas for the whole trip, costing you a total of $93. There are two toll roads on this route, the same Ohio River Bridges and the Alabama Toll Plaza, which add about $6 in tolls.

So, altogether, this route would cost you about $99 for gas and tolls. Keep in mind, this longer route takes about 15 hours of driving, so you'll want to factor in any expenses for food, lodging, and entertainment into your budget.

Route #3: Scenic Route (950 miles, 17 hours)

If you're in no rush and want to take a more scenic route, we recommend taking a combination of state routes, US highways, and interstates. You can head south on I-70, take the exit for US-40 towards Putnamville, and continue south on US-231. Then, take AL-117 to Gadsden, before continuing on I-59 S to Raleigh.

While this route is the longest and takes the most amount of time, it may be the most enjoyable. You'll see small towns, rural countryside, and maybe even some historic landmarks.

Using the same gas prices as before, you'll need about 38 gallons of gas for the whole trip, costing you a total of $95. There are no toll roads on this route, so your total cost for this route would be about $95. Keep in mind, this scenic route takes about 17 hours of driving, so you'll want to factor in any expenses for food, lodging, and entertainment.

Conclusion

No matter which route you decide to take on your road trip, make sure you budget enough for gas, tolls, food, lodging, and activities. Safe travels, and have fun!