Origin
Carpentersville, IL
Night in Carpentersville on Saturday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carpentersville, IL to Palatine, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
12.9 mi
21 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carpentersville, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through the Midwest, the 12.9-mile connection between Carpentersville and Palatine, Illinois, is an efficient choice. You can easily complete this drive in about 21 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of just $2, it is an incredibly economical route that requires no overnight planning. You will navigate primarily via IL 68, North Kennedy Drive, and West Palatine Road to reach your destination. Because the travel time is so brief, you have total flexibility to head out whenever it suits your schedule. It is a straightforward, practical link within the state that gets you where you need to go without any unnecessary hassle.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Palatine Road | 7 mi | 12m |
| IL 68 | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| North Kennedy Drive | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Algonquin Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Palatine Road | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Palatine Road
— 7 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carpentersville, IL and Palatine, IL.
1
Start on IL 25
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North Kennedy Drive
2
Turn left onto IL 68
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
IL 68
3
Continue on IL 62
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Algonquin Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto West Palatine Road
7.0 mi
·
12 min
·
West Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
5
Arrive at destination
East Palatine Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 5.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
IL 68
Turn left onto IL 68
Navigation decision point
5
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
West Palatine Road
Turn left onto West Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.02 one way
$4.03 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.21 | $4.43 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.48 | $4.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.85 | $5.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.35 | $0.62 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.13 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Palatine, IL
Night in Palatine on Saturday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
21m 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 mixed driving experience as you transition between local roads and faster thoroughfares. The route maintains a highway share of 33%, offering a balance between steady cruising and suburban navigation. You will spend your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 7 miles on West Palatine Road, which serves as the primary backbone of your journey. The road's personality shifts as you move through these Illinois communities, requiring you to remain alert for changing speed limits and traffic patterns. Overall, the drive feels functional and direct, providing a consistent pace that is neither too tedious nor overly technical.
33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
5 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7 mi on West Palatine Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near IL 68.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Carpentersville, IL to Palatine, IL is easy. At 21m with 33% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (IL 68): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles (West Palatine Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
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 21m. Total distance: 12.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (33%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7 miles on West Palatine 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: at 1.2 miles (IL 68): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles (West Palatine Road): Lane positioning matters here.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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