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Trip from Chicago, IL to Mundelein, 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

57m

Distance

40.3 mi

65 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 14 min
4 AM
0h 53m ★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m

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 Lake County, Illinois, United States

Mundelein, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning to head from Chicago to Mundelein, you are looking at a straightforward 40.3-mile journey that typically takes about 57 minutes. Because this is a short trip within the Midwest, it is perfectly suited for a quick day trip rather than an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $6 on fuel for the entire drive, making it a very budget-friendly excursion. The route is heavily highway-focused, utilizing a combination of the Kennedy Expressway, the Edens Expressway, and the Edens Spur. It serves as an efficient connection between the city and the northern suburbs, so you won't need to worry about complex logistics or multi-day planning.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Edens Expressway 13.5 mi 17m
Kennedy Expressway 8.2 mi 11m
Edens Spur 5.3 mi 6m
East US Highway 45 3.9 mi 6m
Tri-State Tollway 2.6 mi 2m
South Lake Street 2.1 mi 3m
Half Day Road 2 mi 3m
Dan Ryan Expressway 0.9 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Edens Expressway — 13.5 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Mundelein, 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

0.2 mi · 22 sec · South Canalport Avenue
5

Turn left onto South Ruble Street

0.1 mi · 22 sec · South Ruble Street
Use the left lane.
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
7

Merge onto I 90; I 94

0.9 mi · 1 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 90; I 94

8.2 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 94

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto I 94

5.3 mi · 6 min · Edens Spur
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto I 94

2.6 mi · 2 min · Tri-State Tollway
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Exit 21 Toward IL 22: Half Day Road Use the slight right lane.
13

Turn left onto IL 22

2.0 mi · 3 min · Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
14

Turn right onto Olde Half Day Road

0.4 mi · 48 sec · Olde Half Day Road
Use the right lane.
15

Continue on US 45

3.9 mi · 6 min · East US Highway 45
Use the left lane.
16

Turn right onto US 45

2.1 mi · 3 min · South Lake Street
Use the left lane.
17

Arrive at destination

US 45

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Northfield, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Northfield, IL

20 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

Gilmer, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Glenview, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.2 miles from Chicago, 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 33.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | South Halsted Street

Turn left onto South Halsted Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in | South Ruble Street

Turn left onto South Ruble Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
23.7 mi into trip | ~33m in | I 94 / Edens Spur

Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 / Edens Spur toward I 94 West: Milwaukee

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
7
31.6 mi into trip | ~42m in

Take the exit toward IL 22: Half Day Road

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 21 Toward IL 22: Half Day Road
6
33.9 mi into trip | ~47m in | Olde Half Day Road

Turn right onto Olde Half Day Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.30 one way

$12.60 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $6.92 $13.84
premium $4.89 $7.76 $15.51
diesel $5.61 $8.90 $17.80

Estimated Tolls: $0.15

Tri-state Tollway (2.6 mi) $0.15

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Tolls

$0

Total

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.1 0 $4.23 $1.93
Efficient EV 10.1 0 $3.53 $1.61
EV Truck/SUV 16.1 0 $5.64 $2.58

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Chicago, IL

Late night in Chicago on Tuesday

Local time

4:15 AM

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

Mundelein, IL

Late night in Mundelein on Tuesday

Local time

4:15 AM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

59°F

Northfield, IL

20 mi in

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

16 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

57m 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?

This drive is defined by its efficiency, with 66% of the travel taking place on major highways. You will spend the bulk of your time navigating high-speed lanes, including a significant 13.5-mile uninterrupted stretch along the Edens Expressway. While the route feels like a standard interstate grind, the transition from the dense urban corridor of Chicago to the suburban landscape of Mundelein happens steadily. Expect a consistent pace behind the wheel as you move through these interconnected expressways. It is a functional, no-nonsense route designed to get you to your destination quickly rather than offering a scenic, winding backroad experience.

66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.5 mi on Edens Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Edens Expressway and Kennedy Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near South Halsted Street.

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 13 decision points packed into just 40.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (South Ruble Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Mundelein, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1865

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 57m. Total distance: 40.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.5 miles on Edens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.15 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 Mundelein, 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 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (South Ruble Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): 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 Mundelein, 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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