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Trip from Burbank, IL to Palatine, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

51m

Distance

35.7 mi

58 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 47m ★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Burbank, IL

Wikimedia Commons

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Palatine, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 35.7-mile drive from Burbank to Palatine, Illinois, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking approximately 51 minutes to complete. You'll primarily navigate on the Tri-State Tollway, I-290, and IL 53, with a significant portion on the tollway. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $6, reflecting its relatively short distance and Midwest location. Given the short duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. This route offers a practical, no-frills connection within the greater Chicago metropolitan area.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tri-State Tollway 13.7 mi 17m
I 290 13.4 mi 17m
IL 53 2.2 mi 2m
Hicks Road 1.5 mi 3m
West 95th Street 1.3 mi 2m
South Ridgeland Avenue 1 mi 1m
East Northwest Highway 0.3 mi <1m
Kirchoff Road 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Tri-State Tollway — 13.7 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Burbank, IL and Palatine, IL.

1

Start on West 87th Street

59 ft · 3 sec · West 87th Street
2

Turn left onto South Ridgeland Avenue

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Ridgeland Avenue
Use the left lane.
3

Turn right onto US 12; US 20

1.3 mi · 2 min · West 95th Street
4

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 58 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin Use the right lane.
5

Merge onto I 294

12 mi · 14 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294

1.2 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit onto I 294

321 ft · 7 sec · Tri-State Tollway
Exit 31 Toward I 290 West, I 294 North, I 290 East: Rockford, Milwaukee, Chicago Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294

0.8 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway
Exit 31 Toward I 290 West, I 294 North: Rockford, Milwaukee
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 290 West: Rockford
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward Saint Charles Road West
11

Merge onto I 290

13 mi · 17 min · I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53

2.2 mi · 2 min · IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Toward Kirchoff Road Use the right lane.
14

Turn left onto Kirchoff Road

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Kirchoff Road
15

Turn right onto West Frontage Road

400 ft · 8 sec · West Frontage Road
16

Continue on Hicks Road

1.5 mi · 3 min · Hicks Road
17

Turn left onto US 14

0.3 mi · 54 sec · East Northwest Highway
18

Turn left onto East Palatine Road

73 ft · 1 sec · East Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
19

Arrive at destination

East Palatine Road

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

village in Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lombard, IL

18 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.

Popular next leg

Lombard, IL to Palatine, IL

17.9 mi · 28m

Pacing Suggestions

Rolling Meadows, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 35.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lombard, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.9 miles from Burbank, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 14.4 and 33.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
14.4 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
15.6 mi into trip | ~21m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Take the exit onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 290 West, I 294 North, I 290 East: Rockford, Milwaukee, Chicago

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 31 Toward I 290 West, I 294 North, I 290 East: Roc...
7
15.7 mi into trip | ~21m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 290 West, I 294 North: Rockford, Milwaukee

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 31 Toward I 290 West, I 294 North: Rockford, Milwa...
6
31.1 mi into trip | ~43m in | IL 53

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
33.3 mi into trip | ~46m in

Take the exit toward Kirchoff Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward Kirchoff Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.58 one way

$11.16 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $6.13 $12.26
premium $4.89 $6.87 $13.74
diesel $5.61 $7.88 $15.76

Estimated Tolls: $0.82

Tri-state Tollway (13.7 mi) $0.82

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Tolls

$1

Total

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.7 0 $3.75 $1.71
Efficient EV 8.9 0 $3.12 $1.43
EV Truck/SUV 14.3 0 $5.00 $2.28

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Burbank, IL

Late night in Burbank on Tuesday

Local time

5:57 AM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Palatine, IL

Late night in Palatine on Tuesday

Local time

5:57 AM

CDT

Current temp

63°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

1 degrees warmer 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?

The character of this drive is predominantly mixed, with 44% of the journey on highways. You'll experience stretches of faster-paced driving, including a notable 13.7-mile segment on the Tri-State Tollway, which offers a consistent, albeit sometimes busy, travel experience. As you transition to I-290 and then IL 53, the road may feel more integrated into the suburban landscape. Expect a functional drive focused on efficient travel rather than scenic detours.

44% 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: 13.7 mi on Tri-State 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 14.4 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 35.7 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 14.4 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 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 15.7 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

Between Burbank, IL and Palatine, IL, road signs point toward Milwaukee, Chicago and Saint Charles Road West.

Milwaukee

15.6 mi in | ~21m | via I 294

Chicago

15.6 mi in | ~21m | via I 294

Saint Charles Road West

17.3 mi in | ~25m

About the Cities

Starting in Burbank, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1970

Burbank is a city in Chicagoland, Illinois.

Arriving in Palatine, IL

Full guide →

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: 35.7 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.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (44%). 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 13.7 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.82 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 Palatine, 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 14.4 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 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 15.7 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): 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 Palatine, 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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