Origin
Buffalo Grove, IL
Late night in Buffalo Grove on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buffalo Grove, IL to Berwyn, 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
48m
Distance
31.3 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 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buffalo Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Berwyn, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Buffalo Grove to Berwyn covers 34.4 miles of local terrain within the Illinois Midwest. You can expect the journey to take approximately 50 minutes, making it a straightforward day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of just $5, this is an incredibly economical route to navigate. Because the entire drive consists of local roads, you should prepare for a steady pace rather than high-speed highway travel. It is a practical connection for those moving between these two suburbs, offering a direct path without the complexity of long-distance planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 11.9 mi | 15m |
| North Elmhurst Road | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| I 290 | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Rand Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| McHenry Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South 1st Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East Rand Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Cermak Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 11.9 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo Grove, IL and Berwyn, IL.
1
Start on Aptakisic Road
60 ft
·
5 sec
·
Aptakisic Road
2
Turn right onto South Buffalo Grove Road
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
South Buffalo Grove Road
3
Turn right onto Lake Cook Road
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Lake Cook Road
4
Turn right onto IL 83
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
McHenry Road
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto IL 83
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
North Elmhurst Road
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto US 12
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
East Rand Road
7
Continue on US 12
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Rand Road
8
Continue on North Northwest Highway
518 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Northwest Highway
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 294 South: Indiana
10
Merge onto I 294
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto I 294
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 31B
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto I 290
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
I 290
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 20
Toward IL 171: 1st Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn slight left onto Bataan Drive
381 ft
·
14 sec
·
Bataan Drive
16
Turn right onto IL 171
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South 1st Avenue
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto 1st Avenue Cutoff
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
1st Avenue Cutoff
18
Turn straight onto Cermak Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Cermak Road
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on West Cermak Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Cermak Road
Use the left lane.
20
Arrive at destination
West Cermak Road
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 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 27.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Lake Cook Road
Turn right onto Lake Cook Road
Navigation decision point
7
22 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Take the exit onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
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 I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
23 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 31B
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
7
27.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward IL 171: 1st Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 20
Toward IL 171: 1st Avenue
6
27.8 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
IL 171 / South 1st Avenue
Turn right onto IL 171 / South 1st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.89 one way
$9.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.37 | $10.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.02 | $12.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.91 | $13.82 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.72
Tri-state Tollway
(11.9 mi)
$0.72
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: 11 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 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $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
Berwyn, IL
Late night in Berwyn on Tuesday
Local time
5:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Widespread Fog
ESE 5 mph
0% 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
15 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
48m 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 turn-heavy local drive that keeps you alert throughout the 34.4-mile trek. You will spend 0% of your time on highways, relying instead on surface streets like South Buffalo Grove Road, Lake Cook Road, and McHenry Road. There is no long-distance cruising here; in fact, the longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on South Buffalo Grove Road. The personality of this drive is defined by frequent navigation through local intersections, requiring your full attention as you transition between these specific suburban arteries.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.9 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 0.2 miles in near Lake Cook Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Lake Cook Road): Navigation decision point; at 22 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23 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 Buffalo Grove, IL to Berwyn, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Indiana along the way.
Indiana
22 mi in
|
~33m
|
via I 294
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 Berwyn, IL
Full guide →Founded 1908
Berwyn is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois.
Top landmarks
- • Arthur J. Dunham House — historic house in Berwyn, Illinois
- • Mr. Robert Silhan 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 48m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.9 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.72 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state 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 Berwyn, 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 0.2 miles (Lake Cook Road): Navigation decision point; at 22 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Berwyn, 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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