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Trip from Addison, IL to Chicago, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

33m

Distance

22.2 mi

36 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 31m ★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Addison, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown chicago-il

Chicago, IL

Otoniel Alvarado

Trip Overview

If you are looking to travel from Addison to Chicago, you are facing a straightforward 22.9-mile journey across the Midwest. Expect a travel time of approximately 38 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. You will navigate using a combination of Lake Street, I-290 East, and I-90 East to reach your destination. With a modest fuel cost of about $3, this route is highly efficient for commuters or casual travelers. Since the drive is short, you have the flexibility to plan your arrival around your specific schedule without worrying about long-haul logistics.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 20 17.5 mi 24m
Lake Street 2.5 mi 4m
Dan Ryan Expressway 0.8 mi 1m
West Cermak Road 0.2 mi <1m
South Union Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
South Halsted Street 0.1 mi <1m
South Canalport Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
North Addison Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 20 — 17.5 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Addison, IL and Chicago, IL.

1

Start on North Addison Road

122 ft · 10 sec · North Addison Road
2

Turn sharp left

220 ft · 7 sec
3

Turn slight right onto US 20

2.5 mi · 4 min · Lake Street
4

Take the ramp onto US 20

17 mi · 24 min · US 20
Toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago Use the left lane.
5

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
7

Merge onto I 90; I 94

0.8 mi · 1 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 52C Toward 18th Street Use the slight right lane.
9

Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue

0.2 mi · 30 sec · South Union Avenue
10

Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue

505 ft · 12 sec · South Canalport Avenue
11

Turn left onto South Halsted Street

0.1 mi · 18 sec · South Halsted Street
12

Turn right onto West Cermak Road

0.2 mi · 24 sec · West Cermak Road
13

Turn left

152 ft · 11 sec
14

Turn right

0.2 mi · 58 sec
15

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 21.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn sharp left

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

6
2.5 mi into trip | ~4m in | US 20

Take the ramp onto US 20 toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago
5
20 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor St...
7
20.1 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
7
21.1 mi into trip | ~30m in

Take the exit toward 18th Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 52C Toward 18th Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.47 one way

$6.94 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $3.81 $7.62
premium $4.89 $4.27 $8.54
diesel $5.61 $4.90 $9.80

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.7 0 $2.33 $1.07
Efficient EV 5.6 0 $1.94 $0.89
EV Truck/SUV 8.9 0 $3.11 $1.42

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Addison, IL

Morning in Addison on Tuesday

Local time

7:09 AM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chicago, IL

Morning in Chicago on Tuesday

Local time

7:09 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

WSW 15 mph 98% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

18 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

33m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged from start to finish. You will not encounter any significant highway stretches, as the highway share for this route is 0%. Instead, you will navigate through various local road segments, meaning there is no single long, uninterrupted stretch to settle into. Because you are navigating through the dense Midwest landscape, the road feels more like a city transition than a long-distance cruise. Stay alert at intersections and be prepared for frequent turns as you move from Addison into the heart of Chicago.

82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on US 20.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and Lake Street. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 22.2 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.5 miles (US 20): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

706 ft 579 ft

Total Climb

36 ft

Total Descent

154 ft

Highest Point

706 ft

~1.6 mi in

Elevation Range

127 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Addison, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1839

Arriving in Chicago, IL

Full guide →

Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.

Top landmarks

  • Willis Tower — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois
  • Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
  • Wrigley Field — baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA; home venue of the Chicago Cubs

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 22.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

33m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 17.5 miles on US 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: near the start: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.5 miles (US 20): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chicago, IL before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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