Origin
Barrington, IL
Morning in Barrington on Tuesday
Local time
6:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Barrington, IL to Evanston, 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
47m
Distance
27.1 mi
44 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Barrington, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Barrington to Evanston covers 27.1 miles of suburban Illinois, making it a quick 47-minute journey that is perfect for a simple day trip. You won't need to worry about overnight logistics or heavy travel planning for this short transit. With fuel costs estimated around $4, it is an economical route that keeps you within the Midwest region for the duration of the drive. Because this trip is entirely local, you have the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows. It is a straightforward commute that serves as an efficient link between these two communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Golf Road | 6.7 mi | 12m |
| South Northwest Highway | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| Palatine Road | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Milwaukee Avenue | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| East Palatine Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Emerson Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Asbury Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Lake Cook Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Golf Road
— 6.7 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Barrington, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on IL 59
108 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hough Street
2
Turn right onto East Main Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Continue on Lake Cook Road
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Lake Cook Road
4
Turn right onto US 14
6.2 mi
·
10 min
·
South Northwest Highway
5
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on Palatine Road
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Palatine Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
343 ft
·
9 sec
Toward US 45, IL 21: Milwaukee Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn straight onto East Palatine Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Palatine Road
9
Turn right onto US 45; IL 21
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Milwaukee Avenue
10
Continue on IL 21
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
11
Turn left onto IL 58
6.7 mi
·
12 min
·
West Golf Road
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on Emerson Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Emerson Street
13
Turn right onto Asbury Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
14
Turn left onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 27.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Main Street
Turn right onto East Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
6.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
East Palatine Road
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward US 45, IL 21: Milwaukee Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 45, IL 21: Milwaukee Avenue
6
27.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
Dempster Street
Turn left onto Dempster Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
27.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.24 one way
$8.47 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.65 | $9.30 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.22 | $10.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.98 | $11.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.85 | $1.30 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.79 | $1.73 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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
Evanston, IL
Morning in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
6:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
47m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that avoids major interstates entirely, meaning your highway share for this trip is 0%. You will navigate a series of surface streets, primarily utilizing West Golf Road, South Northwest Highway, and Palatine Road to reach your destination. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 6.7-mile segment along West Golf Road. Since this route relies on local roads rather than high-speed thoroughfares, you should be prepared for frequent stops and a more deliberate pace. The character of the drive remains consistent as you transition through the suburban landscape.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.7 mi on West Golf Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Main Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 27.1 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.6 miles (East Palatine Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 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
864 ft
602 ft
Total Climb
72 ft
Total Descent
284 ft
Highest Point
864 ft
~1.9 mi in
Elevation Range
262 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Grosse Point Light — lighthouse in Illinois, United States
- • Shakespeare Garden — garden on the campus of Northwestern University
- • Frederick B. Carter, Jr. House — historic house in Illinois, United States
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 47m. Total distance: 27.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.7 miles on West Golf Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.6 miles (East Palatine Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Evanston, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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