Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 48m
Distance
254.6 mi
410 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$40
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Barry, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, IL to Barry, IL is 254.6 miles and takes about 4h 48m via I 55 and I 72, with a fuel budget near $40 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, traveling solely through Illinois. Expect a straightforward, highway-focused experience for the majority of this drive. With a recommended one-day duration, it's a manageable journey for a single driver or a pair looking for a direct route between these two points. Plan for a relatively quick transit with minimal detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
127.3 miles from Aurora, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 30m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 127.2 mi | 2h 16m |
| I 72 | 77.3 mi | 1h 22m |
| IL 47 | 22.1 mi | 25m |
| South Lake Street | 5.9 mi | 9m |
| Minkler Road | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Ashley Road | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| Caton Farm Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Bridge Street | 1.3 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and Barry, IL.
Start on West Galena Boulevard
Turn right onto IL 31
Continue on US 34
Turn left onto Orchard Road
Continue on Minkler Road
Enter roundabout onto Minkler Road
Continue on Minkler Road
At end of road, turn right onto IL 126
Turn left onto Ashley Road
Turn right onto Caton Farm Road
Turn left
Continue on North Bridge Street
Continue on IL 47
Take the exit
Merge onto I 55
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55
Keep slight right at fork onto I 72; US 36
Take the exit
Turn left onto Township Road 1745E
Continue on County Highway 4
Continue on Rodgers Street
Arrive at destination
Given the 4-hour 48-minute duration, starting your drive in the morning is advisable to ensure you have ample daylight. With only one recommended stop and a 90% highway share, you can maintain a steady pace. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 127.2-mile stretch on I 55, as services might be more spread out. The $40 fuel cost estimate is a good baseline for budgeting. Since this is a one-day trip, you have flexibility if traffic or weather conditions require minor adjustments to your departure time.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 56 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.3 miles or 2h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Barry, IL than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Aurora, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Aurora, IL
This is one driving day of about 254.6 miles and 4h 48m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
127 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.
A short stop after about 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 127.3 miles from Aurora, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 55 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 127.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 176.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto IL 31 / South Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn right onto IL 126 / East Schoolhouse Road
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward I 55 South: Bloomington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 72; US 36 toward I 72 West, US 36 West: Jacksonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$39.80 one way
$79.61 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $43.70 | $87.41 |
| premium | $4.89 | $49.00 | $97.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $56.21 | $112.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$65–$90
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 76.4 | 0 | $26.73 | $12.22 |
| Efficient EV | 63.7 | 0 | $22.28 | $10.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 101.8 | 1 | $35.64 | $16.29 |
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
3:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in Barry on Tuesday
Local time
3:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
68°F
Bloomington, IL
127 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 90% of the travel occurring on interstates. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I 55, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 127.2 miles. The journey progresses with a consistent highway feel, utilizing I 72 and IL 47 to connect the segments. Expect efficient travel with limited exposure to slower, local roads. The landscape will largely be that of the open Midwest.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and I 72. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 31 / South Lake Street.
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 254.6 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (IL 31 / South Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles (IL 126 / East Schoolhouse Road): Navigation decision point; at 48.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Aurora, IL to Barry, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Springfield along the way.
Springfield
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 48m. Total distance: 254.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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