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Trip from Chicago, IL to Sycamore, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 30m

Distance

69.1 mi

111 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 24m ★
6 AM
1h 30m
8 AM
1h 44m
10 AM
1h 35m
12 PM
1h 34m
3 PM
1h 36m
5 PM
1h 44m
8 PM
1h 26m

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

Best Time
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Downtown chicago-il

Chicago, IL

Otoniel Alvarado

city in Illinois, United States

Sycamore, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Chicago, IL to Sycamore, IL covers 69.1 miles and takes about 1h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Eisenhower Expressway, Peace Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 46.4 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.71 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

34.6 miles from Chicago, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 47m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 46.4 mi 53m
Eisenhower Expressway 12.1 mi 16m
Peace Road 5.8 mi 9m
South Ashland Avenue 1.7 mi 3m
West Cermak Road 0.8 mi 1m
DeKalb Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
West State Street 0.4 mi <1m
Center Cross Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway — 46.4 mi, about 53m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

19 mi · 20 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Toward I 88 Toll West, IL 47: DeKalb
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Exit 94 Toward Peace Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn right onto Peace Road

5.8 mi · 9 min · Peace Road
Use the left lane.
12

Turn right onto IL 23

0.7 mi · 1 min · DeKalb Avenue
13

Turn left onto IL 23

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Center Cross Street
14

At end of road, turn right onto IL 64

0.4 mi · 46 sec · West State Street
15

Arrive at destination

IL 64

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 34.6 miles from Chicago, IL, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 46.4 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 15 miles or 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 34.6 miles or 47m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 14m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sycamore, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Chicago, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Chicago, IL

This is one driving day of about 69.1 miles and 1h 30m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Chicago, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway for about 46.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lisle, IL

35 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

Elmhurst, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Naperville, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 34.6 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 2.7 and 61.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

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.
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)
6
42 mi into trip | ~56m 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 Toll West, IL 47: DeKalb

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 88 Toll West, IL 47: DeKalb
7
61.5 mi into trip | ~1h 17m in

Take the exit toward Peace Road

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 94 Toward Peace Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.71 one way

$21.43 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $11.75 $23.49
premium $4.93 $13.41 $26.81
diesel $5.60 $15.23 $30.46

Estimated Tolls: $2.78

Reagan Memorial Tollway (46.4 mi) $2.78

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

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Tolls

$3

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.7 0 $7.26 $3.32
Efficient EV 17.3 0 $6.05 $2.76
EV Truck/SUV 27.6 0 $9.67 $4.42

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 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 Aug 29, 2026

Origin

Chicago, IL

Morning in Chicago on Friday

Local time

6:29 AM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Partly Cloudy

SSW 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 28 at 8:55PM CDT until August 30 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 28 at 8:36PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Indianapolis IN

Destination

Sycamore, IL

Morning in Sycamore on Friday

Local time

6:29 AM

CDT

Current temp

60°F

Partly Cloudy

SSW 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 28 at 8:55PM CDT until August 30 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 28 at 8:36PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Indianapolis IN

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

7 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 30m 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

Pullman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...

11 mi from route ~27 min detour Free
Caution: Road Construction Near the Park
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

69.1 mi in 1h 30m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.4 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near West Van Buren Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 69.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 2.7 miles (West Van Buren Street): Lane positioning matters here; 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.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

902 ft 582 ft

Total Climb

384 ft

Total Descent

98 ft

Highest Point

902 ft

~64.2 mi in

Elevation Range

320 ft

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 Sycamore, 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

Arriving in Sycamore, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1835

Sycamore is a city in the Kishwaukee Valley, located in Northern Illinois with a population of about 17,188.

Top landmarks

  • • DeKalb County Courthouse — local government building in the United States
  • • Sycamore Historic District — historic district in Sycamore, Illinois
  • • Chicago and Northwestern Depot — railway station in Sycamore, the United States of America

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 30m. Total distance: 69.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 46.4 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.78 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 Sycamore, 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 2.7 miles (West Van Buren Street): Lane positioning matters here; 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.

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 Sycamore, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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