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Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Plano, 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 16m

Distance

55.5 mi

89 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 11m ★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m

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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city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Des Plaines, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Plano, IL, IL

Plano, IL

Ivan S

Trip Overview

Des Plaines to Plano is 55.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 16 minutes via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway and IL 56, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, making it a straightforward excursion. Most of the drive will be on surface roads, offering a more local feel than a pure interstate cruise. Given its relatively short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a same-day trip, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 25.8 mi 31m
Tri-State Tollway 10.5 mi 14m
IL 56 4.2 mi 5m
Galena Road 3.3 mi 4m
Rock Creek Road 3.2 mi 5m
United States Route 30 2.8 mi 3m
South Des Plaines River Road 1.8 mi 3m
North Bridge Street 1.2 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway — 25.8 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Plano, IL.

1

Start on Henry Avenue

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Henry Avenue
2

Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road

1.8 mi · 3 min · South Des Plaines River Road
Use the left lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 55 sec
Toward I 294 South: Indiana
4

Merge onto I 294

8.9 mi · 11 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit onto I 294

1.0 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight right lane.
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight right lane.
7

Continue on I 294

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Tri-State Tollway
Exit 15A Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 49 sec
Exit 31A Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 88; IL 110

0.8 mi · 59 sec · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
10

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.
11

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.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 32 sec
Toward US 30 East, IL 47: Sugar Grove, Elburn Use the right lane.
13

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.
14

Merge onto IL 47

0.2 mi · 18 sec · Illinois Route 47
15

Continue on US 30; IL 47

2.8 mi · 3 min · United States Route 30
Use the left lane.
16

Continue on North Bridge Street

1.2 mi · 1 min · North Bridge Street
17

Turn right onto Galena Road

3.3 mi · 4 min · Galena Road
Use the right lane.
18

Turn left onto Rock Creek Road

3.2 mi · 5 min · Rock Creek Road
19

Continue on Big Rock Avenue

0.4 mi · 56 sec · Big Rock Avenue
20

Continue on East Lee Street

0.3 mi · 58 sec · East Lee Street
21

Turn left onto North Hale Street

0.3 mi · 45 sec · North Hale Street
22

Turn right onto East Main Street

526 ft · 15 sec · East Main Street
23

Arrive at destination

East Main Street

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Naperville, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Naperville, IL

28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lisle, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.7 miles from Des Plaines, 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 12.2 and 43.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
12.2 mi into trip | ~18m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
12.8 mi into trip | ~19m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 31A Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
8
14.1 mi into trip | ~21m 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
39.1 mi into trip | ~51m 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
9
43.5 mi into trip | ~58m 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

$8.60 one way

$17.21 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $9.44 $18.87
premium $4.93 $10.77 $21.54
diesel $5.60 $12.23 $24.47

Estimated Tolls: $2.18

Reagan Memorial Tollway (25.8 mi) $1.55
Tri-state Tollway (10.5 mi) $0.63

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$2

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.7 0 $5.83 $2.66
Efficient EV 13.9 0 $4.86 $2.22
EV Truck/SUV 22.2 0 $7.77 $3.55

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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

Des Plaines, IL

Morning in Des Plaines on Friday

Local time

9:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

64°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

Plano, IL

Morning in Plano on Friday

Local time

9:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

59°F

Partly Cloudy

S 0 to 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

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

5 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 16m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

You'll spend about 13% of this drive on highways, with the longest continuous stretch on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway covering 25.8 miles. After this highway portion, the route transitions to surface roads, which make up the majority of your travel. Expect a more local driving experience once you leave the tollway, with more varied speed limits and traffic patterns. This shift means you'll likely encounter more intersections and varied road conditions as you get closer to Plano.

Only 13% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.8 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 12.2 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State 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 55.5 miles you will encounter 17 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 12.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

731 ft 632 ft

Total Climb

207 ft

Total Descent

190 ft

Highest Point

731 ft

~31.7 mi in

Elevation Range

99 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Des Plaines, IL and Plano, IL, road signs point toward Indiana, 22Nd Street (Cermak Road) and Elburn.

Indiana

11.2 mi in | ~16m | via I 294

22Nd Street (Cermak Road)

14.1 mi in | ~21m | via I 88; IL 110

Elburn

43.4 mi in | ~57m

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

Arriving in Plano, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1872

Top landmarks

  • • Farnsworth House — house designed by Mies van der Rohe
  • • Plano — railway station in Plano, Illinois
  • • Albert H. Sears House — house in Plano, Illinois

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 16m. Total distance: 55.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 25.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.18 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 Plano, 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 12.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 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 Plano, 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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