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Trip from Aurora, IL to Calumet, 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

1h 13m

Distance

53.1 mi

86 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 8m ★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city on tripoints of DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties in Illinois, United States

Aurora, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Calumet, IL, IL

Calumet, IL

Claudia Solano

Trip Overview

This 53.1-mile drive from Aurora, IL to Calumet, IL is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 13 minutes. It's designed as a single-day excursion, making it perfect for a quick hop within the Midwest region. You'll primarily navigate via the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Eisenhower Expressway, and Chicago Skyway, with a significant portion of your journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $8, suggesting a budget-friendly trip. This route offers a practical, no-fuss driving experience ideal for those who want to get from point A to point B efficiently.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 23.8 mi 29m
Eisenhower Expressway 13.2 mi 18m
Chicago Skyway 5 mi 7m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) 3.8 mi 5m
Dan Ryan Expressway 2.2 mi 2m
North Lake Street 2.2 mi 4m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Local) 0.5 mi <1m
South Lincolnway Street 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway — 23.8 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on West Galena Boulevard

0.1 mi · 15 sec · West Galena Boulevard
2

Turn left onto IL 31

2.2 mi · 4 min · North Lake Street
Use the left lane.
3

Continue on South Lincolnway Street

0.4 mi · 39 sec · South Lincolnway Street
4

Take the ramp

387 ft · 9 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa Use the left lane.
5

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward I 88 East: Chicago Use the slight right lane.
6

Continue on this road

0.2 mi · 21 sec · this road
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7

Merge onto I 88; IL 110

18 mi · 22 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

6.0 mi · 7 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 290; IL 110

13 mi · 18 min · Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
12

Merge onto I 90; I 94

2.2 mi · 2 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94

3.8 mi · 5 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
14

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Exit 59A Toward I 90 East Use the right lane.
15

Merge onto I 90; I 94

0.5 mi · 49 sec · Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)
Use the slight left lane.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90

4.5 mi · 6 min · Chicago Skyway
Exit 59A Toward I 90 East Use the slight left lane.
17

Turn straight onto I 90

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Chicago Skyway
18

Merge onto I 90

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Chicago Skyway
19

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 105 Toward Anthony Avenue, 92nd Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Turn left onto South Anthony Avenue

361 ft · 10 sec · South Anthony Avenue
21

Turn left onto East 92nd Street

0.3 mi · 50 sec · East 92nd Street
22

Turn left onto South Commercial Avenue

0.2 mi · 27 sec · South Commercial Avenue
23

Arrive at destination

South Commercial Avenue

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

27 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

Lisle, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lombard, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.6 miles from Aurora, 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 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 52.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa

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

Use the left lane. Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago...
8
2.7 mi into trip | ~5m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 East: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7
40.2 mi into trip | ~53m 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
8
47.3 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in | I 90 / Chicago Skyway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 / Chicago Skyway toward I 90 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 59A Toward I 90 East
8
52.3 mi into trip | ~1h 11m in

Take the exit toward Anthony Avenue, 92nd Street

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 105 Toward Anthony Avenue, 92nd Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.30 one way

$16.60 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.11 $18.23
premium $4.89 $10.22 $20.44
diesel $5.61 $11.72 $23.45

Estimated Tolls: $7.90

Chicago Skyway $6.15
Reagan Memorial Tollway (23.8 mi) $1.43
Chicago Skyway (4.5 mi) $0.32

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Tolls

$8

Total

$16

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15.9 0 $5.58 $2.55
Efficient EV 13.3 0 $4.65 $2.12
EV Truck/SUV 21.2 0 $7.43 $3.40

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 14, 2026

Origin

Aurora, IL

Morning in Aurora on Tuesday

Local time

11:53 AM

CDT

Current temp

81°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SSW 15 mph 28% chance Live forecast

Tornado Watch

Tornado Watch issued April 14 at 2:35PM CDT until April 14 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Tornado Watch

Tornado Watch issued April 14 at 2:33PM CDT until April 14 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Destination

Calumet, IL

Morning in Calumet on Tuesday

Local time

11:53 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SSW 15 mph 27% chance Live forecast

Tornado Watch

Tornado Watch issued April 14 at 2:35PM CDT until April 14 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Tornado Watch

Tornado Watch issued April 14 at 2:33PM CDT until April 14 at 10:00PM 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

2 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 13m 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 mixed drive on this route, with 37% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23.8 miles along the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. While much of the route involves familiar expressway driving, you'll experience the transition as you move through different stretches of these main roads. The personality of the drive is largely dictated by the efficiency of the tollways and expressways, keeping you moving steadily towards your destination.

37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.8 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 2.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.1 miles you will encounter 18 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 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

About the Cities

Starting 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 13m. Total distance: 53.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 23.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $7.90 in tolls one way, starting with Chicago Skyway. 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 Calumet, 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 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Calumet, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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