Origin
Aurora, IL
Morning in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
10:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, IL to Lyons, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
31.2 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Lyons, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Aurora, IL to Lyons, IL is 31.2 miles and takes about 51 minutes via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Illinois and the Midwest region, primarily utilizing surface roads for most of the trip. Given its short distance and duration, it's a straightforward drive perfect for a quick transit between these two Illinois locations. You won't need an overnight stay, making it ideal for a same-day trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 16.9 mi | 21m |
| 31st Street | 5 mi | 9m |
| Oak Brook Road | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Grand Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Ogden Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Prairie Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 16.9 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and Lyons, 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
17 mi
·
21 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 134
Toward Highland Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto Highland Avenue
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Highland Avenue
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto 31st Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
31st Street
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on Oak Brook Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Oak Brook Road
12
Continue on 31st Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
31st Street
13
Continue on Oak Brook Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Oak Brook Road
14
Continue on 31st Street
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
31st Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn slight right onto Grand Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Boulevard
16
Enter roundabout onto Grand Boulevard
193 ft
·
7 sec
·
Grand Boulevard
17
Continue on Grand Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Boulevard
18
Turn right onto Prairie Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Prairie Avenue
19
At end of road, turn left onto US 34
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ogden Avenue
20
Turn right onto Lawndale Avenue
439 ft
·
15 sec
·
Lawndale Avenue
21
Turn left onto White Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
White Avenue
22
Turn right onto Joliet Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Joliet Avenue
23
Turn left onto 43rd Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
43rd Street
24
Arrive at destination
43rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.6 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 20.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 31 / North Lake Street
Turn left onto IL 31 / North Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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
19.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward Highland Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 134
Toward Highland Avenue
6
20.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
31st Street
Turn left onto 31st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.88 one way
$9.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.36 | $10.71 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.00 | $12.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.89 | $13.78 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.01
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(16.9 mi)
$1.01
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Lyons, IL
Morning in Lyons on Tuesday
Local time
10:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°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
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
51m 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?
This drive is mostly on surface roads, with no highway miles indicated. You'll encounter a stretch of 16.9 miles on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway before transitioning to local streets. Expect a consistent driving experience with frequent intersections and traffic signals typical of urban and suburban environments. The road profile suggests you'll be navigating through developed areas for the majority of the trip.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.9 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 0.1 miles in near IL 31 / North Lake Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 31.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Aurora, IL to Lyons, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Dekalb-Iowa along the way.
Dekalb-Iowa
2.6 mi in
|
~4m
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
Arriving in Lyons, IL
Full guide →Top landmarks
- • Chicago Portage National Historic Site — historic site in Lyons, 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 51m. Total distance: 31.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.9 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.01 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 Lyons, 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 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lyons, 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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