Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Night in Des Plaines on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Albany Park, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
10.1 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Albany Park, IL
Willian Justen de Vasconcellos
Trip Overview
This short 10.1-mile drive from Des Plaines, IL, to Albany Park, IL, is easily managed within a single day, taking approximately 19 minutes. With no highway driving involved, expect a local feel throughout your journey. The estimated fuel cost is around $2, making it an economical trip. This route is perfect for a quick local hop within the Midwest region, offering a straightforward connection between two Illinois communities. It's an ideal option if you're looking for a brief excursion without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Northwest Highway | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| West Lawrence Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Busse Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Oakton Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Northwest Highway
— 4.1 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Albany Park, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
3
Turn left onto East Oakton Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Oakton Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Busse Highway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Busse Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn straight onto West Touhy Avenue
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
West Touhy Avenue
6
Turn slight right onto South Northwest Highway
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
South Northwest Highway
7
Continue on North Northwest Highway
136 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Northwest Highway
8
Turn right onto North Milwaukee Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
9
Turn left onto West Lawrence Avenue
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Lawrence Avenue
10
Arrive at destination
West Lawrence Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 8.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Des Plaines River Road
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Oakton Street
Turn left onto East Oakton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Busse Highway
Turn right onto Busse Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
7.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
North Milwaukee Avenue
Turn right onto North Milwaukee Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
8.2 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
West Lawrence Avenue
Turn left onto West Lawrence Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.58 one way
$3.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.73 | $3.47 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.94 | $3.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.23 | $4.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.06 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.88 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.41 | $0.65 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Destination
Albany Park, IL
Night in Albany Park on Saturday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
22 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
19m 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?
Get ready for a 'turn-heavy local drive' on this route, with 0% highway share. You'll navigate through South Northwest Highway, West Lawrence Avenue, and Busse Highway, experiencing a distinctly urban and suburban feel. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 4.1 miles on South Northwest Highway, so be prepared for frequent turns and traffic signals. This isn't a route for settling into a high-speed cruise; rather, it’s about engaging with local road networks and managing city driving.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.1 mi on South Northwest Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Des Plaines River Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 19m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (East Oakton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (Busse Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
Top landmarks
- • McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
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 19m. Total distance: 10.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.1 miles on South Northwest Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (East Oakton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (Busse Highway): 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 Albany Park, 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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