If you are planning a trip from Cicero to Greenville, expect a straightforward 255.9-mile journey that typically takes about 4 hours and 49 minutes to complete. This drive serves as a direct transit across Illinois, moving you through the heart of the Midwest. Because the duration is under five hours, it is easily manageable as a single-day trip without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $39 for fuel to cover the distance. Since the route relies heavily on major interstates, it is a practical choice for those prioritizing efficiency and speed over scenic detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
127.9 miles from Cicero, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 29m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
188.4 mi
3h 23m
I 70
46.8 mi
50m
South Cicero Avenue
10.6 mi
17m
Cicero Avenue
6.6 mi
10m
Illinois Route 127
1 mi
1m
South Laramie Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
West 31st Street
0.5 mi
<1m
167th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 188.4 mi, about 3h 23m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,261 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,677
Quietest
2 AM
~249 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cicero, IL and City of Greenville, IL.
1
Start on South Laramie Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·South Laramie Avenue
2
Turn left onto West 31st Street
0.5 mi·58 sec·West 31st Street
3
Turn right onto IL 50
11 mi·17 min·South Cicero Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on IL 50
6.6 mi·10 min·Cicero Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Turn left onto 167th Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·167th Street
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80
7
Merge onto I 57
188 mi·3 hr 23 min·I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
47 mi·50 min·I 70
Toward I 70 West: Saint Louis
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 45Toward IL 127: Greenville, Carlyle
10
Turn right onto IL 127
1.0 mi·1 min·Illinois Route 127
11
Turn right onto South Idler Lane
289 ft·10 sec·South Idler Lane
12
Turn right
474 ft·20 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of your 255.9-mile transit, try to depart early in the morning to avoid heavy traffic congestion near the Cicero area. Plan for at least one dedicated stop during your journey to break up the long 188.4-mile stretch on I-57 and keep your focus sharp. Since you are spending nearly five hours on the road, having your fuel budget of $39 ready will help you streamline your pit stop. Flexibility is a major advantage here, as the manageable duration allows you to adjust your pace depending on your personal comfort. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge when navigating the transition between I-57 and I-70 to ensure you have plenty of range for the final leg of your trip.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 127.9 miles from Cicero, IL, or about 2h 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 188.4 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 56 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.9 miles or 2h 29m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Greenville, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cicero, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cicero, IL
This is one driving day of about 255.9 miles and 4h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Cicero, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 188.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 254.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|West 31st Street
Turn left onto West 31st Street
Navigation decision point
6
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in|IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue
Turn right onto IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
19 mi into trip|~31m in|I 57
Merge onto I 57
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
207.5 mi into trip|~3h 55m in|I 70
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 toward I 70 West: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 70 West: Saint Louis
6
254.3 mi into trip|~4h 46m in
Take the exit toward IL 127: Greenville, Carlyle
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 45
Toward IL 127: Greenville, Carlyle
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.69 one way
$85.37 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg90 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$46.39
$92.79
premium
$5.26
$52.98
$105.97
diesel
$6.18
$62.25
$124.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.8
0
$26.87
$12.28
Efficient EV
64
0
$22.39
$10.24
EV Truck/SUV
102.4
1
$35.83
$16.38
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Cicero, IL
Morning
in Cicero on Tuesday
Local time
6:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Sunny
SSW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
City of Greenville, IL
Morning
in City of Greenville on Tuesday
Local time
6:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Sunny
SE 1 mph0% chanceLive forecast
74°F
Shelby, IN
128 mi 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
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
4h 49m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 92% of your travel time spent on major thoroughfares. You will navigate using South Cicero Avenue before transitioning to the primary arteries of I-57 and I-70. Be prepared for a significant stretch of interstate driving, as your longest uninterrupted segment covers 188.4 miles on I-57. The road maintains a consistent, high-speed pace, making it an ideal route if you prefer predictable interstate travel. While it lacks the variation of secondary roads, the path remains a reliable, no-nonsense connection between your starting point and destination.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 188.4 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and I 70. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near West 31st Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 49m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (West 31st Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 19 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Cicero is a town of 81,000 people (2019) in the Chicagoland area, just west of the Chicago city limits. It became famous when gangster Al Capone moved here to escape from the Chicago Police in the early 1920s.
Top landmarks
•Hawthorne Works — Factory complex in Cicero, Illinois
The longest stretch is about 188.4 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (West 31st Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 19 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.7 hours — manageable with a long break at City of Greenville, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
