Origin
Buffalo Grove, IL
Late night in Buffalo Grove on Tuesday
Local time
5:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buffalo Grove, IL to Aurora, 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 5m
Distance
46 mi
74 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buffalo Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Buffalo Grove to Aurora is 46 miles and takes about 1 hour 5 minutes via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway and I-355, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, making it a straightforward drive between two suburban hubs. The profile is mixed highway and surface roads, so expect a blend of faster travel and local road cruising. With only 46 miles and a 1-hour duration, this is an easy, same-day trip perfect for a quick relocation or a visit without taking up too much of your day.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 15.8 mi | 19m |
| IL 53 | 10.2 mi | 13m |
| I 355 | 9.5 mi | 11m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| South Buffalo Grove Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Palatine Road | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| North Arlington Heights Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Hintz Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 15.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo Grove, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on Aptakisic Road
60 ft
·
4 sec
·
Aptakisic Road
2
Turn left onto South Buffalo Grove Road
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
South Buffalo Grove Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto East Hintz Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Hintz Road
4
Turn left onto North Arlington Heights Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Arlington Heights Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Palatine Road
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Palatine Road
Use the right lane.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward IL 53 South
7
Merge onto IL 53
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
IL 53
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 355
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
I 355
Exit 7
Toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
Use the slight left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 20-22
Toward IL 56, I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora, Butterfield Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 20
Toward I 88 East, I 88 West: Aurora, Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 88 West: Aurora
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right onto IL 31
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
17
Continue on IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
18
Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
19
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23 miles from Buffalo Grove, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 8.5 and 26.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
8.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53 toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
8
15.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
I 355
Keep slight left at fork onto I 355 toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 7
Toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
8
25 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward IL 56, I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora, Butterfield Road
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 20-22
Toward IL 56, I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora, Butte...
8
25.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 88 Toll: Chicago, Aurora
9
26.1 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 East, I 88 West: Aurora, Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 20
Toward I 88 East, I 88 West: Aurora, Chicago
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.19 one way
$14.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.90 | $15.79 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.85 | $17.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.16 | $20.31 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.95
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(15.8 mi)
$0.95
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.83 | $2.21 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.44 | $2.94 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Aurora, IL
Late night in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
5:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Sunny
S 10 mph
1% chance
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
5 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 5m 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?
You'll spend about 43% of this 46-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 15.8 miles, primarily on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. After the highway portions, expect to transition to surface roads for the remainder of your trip. The mixed profile means you'll experience both faster-paced driving and more frequent interactions with local traffic and intersections.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.8 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 8.5 miles in near IL 53.
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 46 miles you will encounter 15 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 8.5 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (I 355): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Buffalo Grove, IL to Aurora, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Chicago along the way.
Chicago
26.1 mi in
|
~37m
About the Cities
Starting in Buffalo Grove, IL
Full guide →Founded 1958
Buffalo Grove is a village in Chicagoland, in both Lake and Cook counties, around 30 miles northwest of downtown Chicago.
Arriving 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 5m. Total distance: 46 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). 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 15.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.95 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.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 Aurora, 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 8.5 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (I 355): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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 Aurora, 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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