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Trip from Chicago, IL to Sugar Grove, 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

1h 4m

Distance

46.8 mi

75 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 59m ★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m

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

Downtown chicago-il

Chicago, IL

Otoniel Alvarado

Downtown Sugar Grove, IL, IL

Sugar Grove, IL

Skyler Ewing

Trip Overview

Chicago to Sugar Grove is 46.8 miles and takes about 1h 4m via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway and Eisenhower Expressway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically Illinois, making it a convenient option for those looking to travel a short distance. The route primarily utilizes tollways and expressways, offering a straightforward path. It's a practical choice for a same-day excursion, requiring minimal planning and offering flexibility for departure times.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 26.9 mi 32m
Eisenhower Expressway 12.1 mi 16m
IL 56 4.2 mi 5m
South Ashland Avenue 1.7 mi 3m
West Cermak Road 0.8 mi 1m
Illinois Route 47 0.2 mi <1m
West Van Buren Street 0.2 mi <1m
United States Route 30 <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway — 26.9 mi, about 32m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Sugar Grove, 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 left at fork onto I 88; IL 110

1.9 mi · 2 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 15A Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight left lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

25 mi · 30 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road) Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto IL 56

4.2 mi · 5 min · IL 56
Exit 113 Toward IL 56 West: Sugar Grove Use the slight right lane.
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 32 sec
Toward US 30 East, IL 47: Sugar Grove, Elburn Use the right lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Toward IL 47 South, US 30 East: Sugar Grove Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto IL 47

0.2 mi · 18 sec · Illinois Route 47
13

Continue on US 30; IL 47

347 ft · 8 sec · United States Route 30
Use the right lane.
14

Turn right onto Cross Street

270 ft · 17 sec · Cross Street
Use the right lane.
15

Turn left

69 ft · 7 sec
Use the left lane.
16

Turn right

76 ft · 5 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

city in DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Oakbrook Terrace, IL

23 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

Maywood, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Downers Grove, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.4 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 15 and 46.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

9
15 mi into trip | ~23m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana

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

Use the slight left lane. Exit 15A Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
16.9 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
42 mi into trip | ~56m in | IL 56

Keep slight right at fork onto IL 56 toward IL 56 West: Sugar Grove

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 113 Toward IL 56 West: Sugar Grove
7
46.2 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in

Take the exit toward US 30 East, IL 47: Sugar Grove, Elburn

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward US 30 East, IL 47: Sugar Grove, Elburn
9
46.4 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in

Keep slight right at fork toward IL 47 South, US 30 East: Sugar Grove

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward IL 47 South, US 30 East: Sugar Grove

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.32 one way

$14.63 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $8.03 $16.07
premium $4.89 $9.01 $18.01
diesel $5.61 $10.33 $20.67

Estimated Tolls: $1.61

Reagan Memorial Tollway (26.9 mi) $1.61

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Tolls

$2

Total

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14 0 $4.91 $2.25
Efficient EV 11.7 0 $4.10 $1.87
EV Truck/SUV 18.7 0 $6.55 $3.00

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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

Chicago, IL

Late night in Chicago on Tuesday

Local time

4:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Sugar Grove, IL

Late night in Sugar Grove on Tuesday

Local time

4:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°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

4 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

1h 4m 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?

This drive is a mixed highway and surface road experience, with 35% of the 46.8 miles on highways. You'll encounter your longest stretch of continuous highway at 26.9 miles on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. Expect to transition from the high-speed environment of the tollway and expressway to surface roads as you approach your destination. The density of exits on the expressways will be noticeable as you navigate the urban and suburban landscape.

35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.9 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial 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 15 miles in near I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.8 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 15 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42 miles (IL 56): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Chicago, IL and Sugar Grove, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).

Indiana

15 mi in | ~23m | via I 88; IL 110

22Nd Street (Cermak Road)

16.9 mi in | ~26m | via I 88; IL 110

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 1h 4m. Total distance: 46.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 26.9 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.61 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan Memorial 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 Sugar Grove, 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 15 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42 miles (IL 56): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sugar Grove, 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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Explore More

Return Trip

Sugar Grove, IL to Chicago, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

46.7 mi 1h 3m

Explore more options from Chicago, IL or browse trips ending in Sugar Grove, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.