Origin
Chicago, IL
Morning in Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
7:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chicago, IL to Elmhurst, 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
30m
Distance
18.6 mi
30 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Elmhurst, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 18.6-mile drive from Chicago, IL to Elmhurst, IL is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 30 minutes. The route is predominantly highway-focused, with 72% of the journey on major expressways like the Eisenhower Expressway and I-290. Budget around $3 for fuel for this quick hop within the Midwest region. Given its brevity, this trip is perfect for a quick errand or a short transfer, offering a straightforward journey without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Expressway | 12.1 mi | 16m |
| South Ashland Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| I 290 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| East Saint Charles Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South York Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Van Buren Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Park Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Eisenhower Expressway
— 12.1 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Elmhurst, IL.
1
Start on this road
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto West Cermak Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Cermak Road
3
Turn right onto South Ashland Avenue
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Ashland Avenue
4
Turn left onto West Van Buren Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Van Buren Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 290 West
6
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford, Milwaukee
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 14B
Toward Saint Charles Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 14A
Toward West Saint Charles Road
Use the right lane.
10
Turn straight onto East Saint Charles Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Saint Charles Road
11
Turn right onto South York Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South York Street
12
Turn left onto West Park Avenue
38 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Park Avenue
13
Turn slight right
65 ft
·
4 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 16.8 — 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
|
~1m in
|
West Cermak Road
At end of road, turn left onto West Cermak Road
Navigation decision point
6
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
West Van Buren Street
Turn left onto West Van Buren Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
15 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
I 290
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford, Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford,...
7
16.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Saint Charles Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 14B
Toward Saint Charles Road
8
16.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight right at fork toward West Saint Charles Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 14A
Toward West Saint Charles Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.91 one way
$5.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.19 | $6.39 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.58 | $7.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.11 | $8.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Elmhurst, IL
Morning in Elmhurst on Tuesday
Local time
7:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
30m 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 largely highway-focused experience on this route, with 72% of the drive utilizing major expressways. You'll spend a significant portion on the Eisenhower Expressway, including a continuous stretch of 12.1 miles. This means a fast-paced journey with limited opportunities for spontaneous stops. The drive progresses by transitioning from urban Chicago roads onto these high-speed corridors, making for a direct and efficient trip.
72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.1 mi on Eisenhower Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Eisenhower Expressway and South Ashland Avenue. 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 West Cermak Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 18.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (West Van Buren Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles (I 290): 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.
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 Chicago, IL to Elmhurst, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Milwaukee along the way.
Milwaukee
15 mi in
|
~23m
|
via I 290
About the Cities
Starting in Chicago, IL
Full guide →Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
Top landmarks
- • Willis Tower — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois
- • Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
- • Wrigley Field — baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA; home venue of the Chicago Cubs
Arriving in Elmhurst, IL
Full guide →Elmhurst is in Chicagoland.
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 30m. Total distance: 18.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.1 miles on Eisenhower Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Elmhurst, 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 (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (West Van Buren Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles (I 290): 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 Elmhurst, 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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