Arlington Heights to North Aurora is 39.7 miles and takes about 56 minutes via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a fairly short trip that balances highway speed with some surface road cruising. You'll want to consider traffic, especially if you're leaving during peak commuting hours. Given its brevity, it's an easy same-day excursion.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
15.8 mi
19m
I 355
9.5 mi
11m
IL 53
8.1 mi
10m
East Euclid Avenue
2.7 mi
6m
South Lincolnway Street
0.9 mi
2m
West State Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 15.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington Heights, IL and North Aurora, IL.
1
Start on East Euclid Avenue
2.7 mi·6 min·East Euclid Avenue
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward IL 53 South
3
Merge onto IL 53
1.1 mi·1 min·IL 53
4
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
7.0 mi·9 min·IL 53
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 355
9.5 mi·11 min·I 355
Exit 7Toward I 355 South Tollway: JolietUse the slight left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 20-22Toward IL 56, I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora, Butterfield RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 88 Toll: Chicago, AuroraUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 20Toward I 88 East, I 88 West: Aurora, ChicagoUse the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 88 West: AuroraUse the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
16 mi·19 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 117Toward IL 31, IL 56 EastUse the right lane.
12
Turn left onto IL 31; IL 56
0.9 mi·2 min·South Lincolnway Street
13
Turn left onto West State Street
68 ft·3 sec·West State Street
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 19.9 miles from Arlington Heights, 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 4 and 21.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
4 mi into trip|~8m in|IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53 toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
8
11 mi into trip|~17m in|I 355
Keep slight left at fork onto I 355 toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 7
Toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
8
20.5 mi into trip|~29m in
Take the exit toward IL 56, I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora, Butterfield Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 20-22
Toward IL 56, I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora, Butte...
8
20.9 mi into trip|~29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora
9
21.6 mi into trip|~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 East, I 88 West: Aurora, Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 20
Toward I 88 East, I 88 West: Aurora, Chicago
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.16 one way
$12.31 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg14 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$6.75
$13.50
premium
$4.93
$7.70
$15.40
diesel
$5.60
$8.75
$17.50
Estimated Tolls: $0.95
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(15.8 mi)$0.95
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
11.9
0
$4.17
$1.91
Efficient EV
9.9
0
$3.47
$1.59
EV Truck/SUV
15.9
0
$5.56
$2.54
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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 Aug 24, 2026
Origin
Arlington Heights, IL
Afternoon
in Arlington Heights on Tuesday
Local time
3:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
NW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 23 at 9:48PM EDT until August 26 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 23 at 9:48PM EDT until August 28 at 8:27PM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Destination
North Aurora, IL
Afternoon
in North Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
3:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Clear
WNW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 23 at 9:48PM EDT until August 26 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 23 at 9:48PM EDT until August 28 at 8:27PM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
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
3 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
56m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 44% of this 39.7-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on the freeway is 15.8 miles on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. Expect a mix of high-speed travel and surface streets, with the transition likely occurring around the time you exit the main tollway. The frequent exits on the highway portion mean you'll be navigating a lot of traffic signals and merging.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.8 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4 miles in near IL 53.
Driving Effort10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 39.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11 miles (I 355): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
757 ft681 ft
Total Climb
211 ft
Total Descent
232 ft
Highest Point
757 ft
~14.2 mi in
Elevation Range
75 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Arlington Heights, IL and North Aurora, IL, road signs point toward Aurora and Chicago.
Arlington Heights is a city in northeastern Chicagoland. The 2010 Census put the population at 75,101, the largest for a village in the United States. Arlington Heights is known for the Arlington Park Race Track as well as a large Japanese community, third in the state behind neighboring Schaumburg and Chicago proper. Some notable people have come from the village as well, including Walter Payton, Ted Nugent, and Ray Kroc (founder of McDonald's).
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 39.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.95 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 North 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 4 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11 miles (I 355): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 North Aurora, IL before heading back.
