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Trip from Albany Park, IL to Aurora, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 3m

Distance

43.4 mi

70 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 59m ★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m

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

Downtown Albany Park, IL, IL

Albany Park, IL

Willian Justen de Vasconcellos

city on tripoints of DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties in Illinois, United States

Aurora, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 43.4-mile drive from Albany Park, IL, to Aurora, IL, is a straightforward 1-hour, 3-minute trip. Primarily utilizing the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway and Eisenhower Expressway, it's a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You can expect to spend around $7 on fuel for this journey, which stays within the Midwest region. The profile suggests a turn-heavy local drive, so be prepared for a more engaged experience than a simple highway cruise. It's an accessible route that doesn't require an overnight stay, offering a practical way to connect these two Illinois communities.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 23.9 mi 29m
Eisenhower Expressway 8.1 mi 11m
North Pulaski Road 6 mi 11m
North Lake Street 2.2 mi 4m
West Madison Street 1 mi 2m
North Cicero Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
South Lincolnway Street 0.4 mi <1m
West Lawrence Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway — 23.9 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Albany Park, IL and Aurora, IL.

1

Start on West Lawrence Avenue

0.2 mi · 32 sec · West Lawrence Avenue
2

Turn left onto North Pulaski Road

3.1 mi · 6 min · North Pulaski Road
Use the left lane.
3

At end of road, turn right onto West Belden Avenue

170 ft · 10 sec · West Belden Avenue
4

Turn left onto North Pulaski Road

2.9 mi · 5 min · North Pulaski Road
5

Turn right onto West Madison Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · West Madison Street
6

Turn left onto IL 50

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Cicero Avenue
Use the left lane.
7

Turn right onto West Flournoy Street

282 ft · 5 sec · West Flournoy Street
Use the right lane.
8

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 290 West Use the slight left lane.
9

Merge onto I 290; IL 110

8.1 mi · 11 min · Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110

1.9 mi · 2 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 15A Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight left lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

22 mi · 26 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road) Use the slight right lane.
12

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 117 Toward IL 31, IL 56 East Use the right lane.
13

Turn right onto IL 31

0.4 mi · 52 sec · South Lincolnway Street
14

Continue on IL 31

2.2 mi · 4 min · North Lake Street
15

Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard

0.1 mi · 9 sec · West Galena Boulevard
16

Arrive at destination

West Galena Boulevard

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Berwyn, IL

22 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Oak Park, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lombard, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.7 miles from Albany Park, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 40.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Pulaski Road

Turn left onto North Pulaski Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
7.3 mi into trip | ~14m in | IL 50 / North Cicero Avenue

Turn left onto IL 50 / North Cicero Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
9
16.2 mi into trip | ~27m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 15A Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
18.1 mi into trip | ~29m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
40.1 mi into trip | ~56m in

Take the exit toward IL 31, IL 56 East

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

Use the right lane. Exit 117 Toward IL 31, IL 56 East

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.79 one way

$13.57 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.45 $14.90
premium $4.89 $8.35 $16.70
diesel $5.61 $9.58 $19.16

Estimated Tolls: $1.43

Reagan Memorial Tollway (23.9 mi) $1.43

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Tolls

$1

Total

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13 0 $4.56 $2.08
Efficient EV 10.9 0 $3.80 $1.74
EV Truck/SUV 17.4 0 $6.08 $2.78

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (67% 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

Albany Park, IL

Night in Albany Park on Saturday

Local time

11:38 PM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Aurora, IL

Night in Aurora on Saturday

Local time

11:38 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

22 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

1h 3m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

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

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a drive that transitions between highway speeds and more involved local roads. With 19% of the route on highways, you'll experience stretches like the 23.9-mile segment on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, offering a chance to pick up speed. However, the 'Turn-heavy local drive' profile indicates significant portions will involve navigating city streets and intersections, requiring your attention. This mix means the drive won't be monotonous, offering varied driving conditions as you make your way to Aurora.

Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.9 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North Pulaski Road.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.4 miles you will encounter 12 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: at 0.2 miles (North Pulaski Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (IL 50 / North Cicero Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.2 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Albany Park, IL and Aurora, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).

Indiana

16.2 mi in | ~27m | via I 88; IL 110

22Nd Street (Cermak Road)

18.1 mi in | ~29m | via I 88; IL 110

About the Cities

Arriving in Aurora, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1835

Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.

Top landmarks

  • Aurora University — private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S
  • Hotel Arthur — United States historic place
  • Graham Building — historic building in Aurora, Illinois

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 1h 3m. Total distance: 43.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 23.9 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.43 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan Memorial Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Aurora, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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: at 0.2 miles (North Pulaski Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (IL 50 / North Cicero Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.2 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. 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 Aurora, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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