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Trip from Chicago, IL to Lansing, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

36m

Distance

25 mi

40 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 33m ★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown chicago-il

Chicago, IL

Otoniel Alvarado

village in Illinois, USA

Lansing, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning to head from Chicago to Lansing, you are looking at a quick 25-mile trip that typically takes about 36 minutes. This route is entirely contained within the Midwest, keeping you within Illinois for the duration of your travel. Because of the short distance, this is easily manageable as a one-day trip, requiring no overnight stops. You can expect to spend roughly $4 on fuel for the journey. It is a straightforward, highway-focused drive that serves as a practical connection between the city and the suburban landscape. Whether you are commuting or visiting, the efficiency of this path makes it a reliable choice for your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Bishop Ford Freeway 10.8 mi 14m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) 8.8 mi 11m
I 94 1.1 mi 1m
Ridge Road 1 mi 1m
Torrence Avenue 0.9 mi 1m
Dan Ryan Expressway 0.7 mi <1m
West Cermak Road 0.2 mi <1m
South Halsted Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Bishop Ford Freeway — 10.8 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Lansing, IL.

1

Start on this road

0.2 mi · 1 min · this road
2

At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road

0.2 mi · 26 sec · West Cermak Road
3

Turn left onto South Halsted Street

0.1 mi · 17 sec · South Halsted Street
Use the left lane.
4

Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue

285 ft · 5 sec · South Canalport Avenue
5

Turn slight right

110 ft · 4 sec
6

Take the ramp

455 ft · 11 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 90, I 94 East: Indiana Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8

Merge onto I 90; I 94

0.7 mi · 47 sec · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94

8.8 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

11 mi · 14 min · Bishop Ford Freeway
Toward I 94 East: Indiana Use the slight left lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

1.1 mi · 1 min · I 94
Toward I 80 East, I 94 East: Indiana Use the slight left lane.
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 43 sec
Exit 161 Toward US 6 West, IL 83: Torrence Avenue Use the slight right lane.
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 161 Toward US 6 West, IL 83 West: Torrence Avenue Use the slight left lane.
14

Keep slight right at fork

502 ft · 12 sec
Toward IL 83 South
15

Turn straight onto IL 83

0.9 mi · 1 min · Torrence Avenue
16

Turn left onto Ridge Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Ridge Road
Use the left lane.
17

Turn right

24 ft · 1 sec
18

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 22.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

9
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 90, I 94 East: Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 90, I 94 East: Indiana
8
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
8
21.2 mi into trip | ~30m in | I 94

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 toward I 80 East, I 94 East: Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 80 East, I 94 East: Indiana
9
22.3 mi into trip | ~31m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 6 West, IL 83: Torrence Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 161 Toward US 6 West, IL 83: Torrence Avenue
9
22.8 mi into trip | ~32m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 6 West, IL 83 West: Torrence Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 161 Toward US 6 West, IL 83 West: Torrence Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.91 one way

$7.82 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $4.29 $8.58
premium $4.89 $4.81 $9.62
diesel $5.61 $5.52 $11.04

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.5 0 $2.63 $1.20
Efficient EV 6.3 0 $2.19 $1.00
EV Truck/SUV 10 0 $3.50 $1.60

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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 18, 2026

Origin

Chicago, IL

Night in Chicago on Saturday

Local time

11:15 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

WSW 15 mph 98% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Destination

Lansing, IL

Night in Lansing on Saturday

Local time

11:15 PM

CDT

Current temp

69°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

23 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

36m 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 high-speed experience, as 86% of this journey is spent on major highways. You will primarily navigate the Dan Ryan Expressway and the Bishop Ford Freeway as part of your I-94 transit. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 10.8-mile segment on the Bishop Ford Freeway, which keeps the pace steady throughout the middle of your drive. Unlike rural routes, this is a dedicated interstate grind designed to move traffic quickly between urban and suburban points. You should remain prepared for the typical flow and density associated with these major Illinois transit corridors.

86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.8 mi on Bishop Ford Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bishop Ford Freeway and Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

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 14 decision points packed into just 25 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.6 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.2 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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

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 36m. Total distance: 25 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

36m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 10.8 miles on Bishop Ford Freeway. 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 Lansing, 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 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.6 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.2 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lansing, 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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