Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 18m
Distance
331.7 mi
534 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$61
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Du Quoin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Du Quoin, IL covers 331.7 miles and takes about 6h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 57, Tri-State Tollway, Ken Gray Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 254.2 miles on I 57. At current regular gas prices, budget about $61.23 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
165.9 miles from Des Plaines, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 10m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 57 | 254.2 mi | 4h 34m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 28.3 mi | 35m |
| Ken Gray Expressway | 20 mi | 21m |
| State Street | 12.6 mi | 18m |
| Cicero Avenue | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| Illinois Route 14 | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| South Washington Street | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,001 veh/hr typical · worst 1,389
Quietest
2 AM
~168 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Du Quoin, IL.
Start on Henry Avenue
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 294
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
Continue on I 294
Continue on I 294
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto IL 50; IL 83
Turn left onto 167th Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 57
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57
Take the exit
Turn right onto IL 14
Continue on IL 14
Continue on IL 14
Turn right onto US 51
Turn right onto East Main Street
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 73 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 165.9 miles or 3h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Du Quoin, IL than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Des Plaines, 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 Des Plaines, IL
This is one driving day of about 331.7 miles and 6h 18m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
166 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.
A short stop after about 73 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 165.9 miles from Des Plaines, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 254.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 31.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward IL 50 South, IL 83: Cicero Avenue, 127th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward IL 50 South: Cicero Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$61.23 one way
$122.47 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.33 | $69.55 | $139.11 |
| premium | $5.87 | $76.67 | $153.34 |
| diesel | $6.57 | $85.78 | $171.57 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.70
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
$61
Tolls
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$88–$113
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 116.1 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 99.5 | 1 | $34.83 | $15.92 |
| Efficient EV | 82.9 | 0 | $29.02 | $13.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 132.7 | 1 | $46.44 | $21.23 |
Gas CO2
116 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Des Plaines on Sunday
Local time
6:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
41°F
Clear
Destination
Evening in Du Quoin on Sunday
Local time
6:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
34°F
Clear then Areas Of Frost
48°F
Charleston, IL
166 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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.
331.7 mi in 6h 18m, mostly highway — 254.2 mi of that is on I 57.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Tri-State Tollway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Des Plaines River Road.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 331.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
315 ft
Total Descent
486 ft
Highest Point
769 ft
~47.4 mi in
Elevation Range
318 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Des Plaines, IL to Du Quoin, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Benton along the way.
Benton
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
Founded 1853
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 18m. Total distance: 331.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 18m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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