Origin
Aurora, IL
Morning in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
7:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, IL to South Chicago, 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
1h 15m
Distance
53.9 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
South Chicago, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Aurora, IL to South Chicago, IL is 53.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Eisenhower Expressway, and Chicago Skyway, with a fuel budget near $8 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 direct route, mostly on major expressways, making it a practical option for getting from the western suburbs to Chicago's south side. Consider this trip if you need a straightforward commute with minimal navigation challenges.
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 |
| South Commercial Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway (Local) | 0.5 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 South Chicago, 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
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Commercial Avenue
23
Turn left onto East 86th Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
East 86th Street
24
Turn right
217 ft
·
15 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.9 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 205 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
$8.43 one way
$16.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.25 | $18.50 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.37 | $20.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.90 | $23.80 |
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: 18.9 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 | 16.2 | 0 | $5.66 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.72 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.55 | $3.45 |
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.
Destination
South Chicago, IL
Morning in South Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
7:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°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
18 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 15m 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?
About 37% of this 53.9-mile route is on the highway system. You'll encounter a 23.8-mile stretch on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway before transitioning to other expressways and surface roads. Expect a mix of high-speed cruising and more urban driving as you approach South Chicago. The frequent exits on the expressway portions will require your attention.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 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 53.9 miles you will encounter 20 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 15m. Total distance: 53.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m 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 with national parks nearby.
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.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 South Chicago, 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 — 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 South Chicago, 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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