Origin
Elk Grove, IL
Late night in Elk Grove on Tuesday
Local time
3:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elk Grove, IL to Chicago, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
22.8 mi
37 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elk Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
Elk Grove to Chicago is 22.8 miles and takes about 37 minutes via Kennedy Expressway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward trip connecting two points within Illinois' Midwest region. Given its brief duration, it's an ideal option for a quick commute, a day trip, or an easy addition to a longer journey. You'll find the drive is mostly on major expressways, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| East Touhy Avenue | 5.5 mi | 10m |
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Union Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Kennedy Expressway
— 8.1 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elk Grove, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on South Elmhurst Road
231 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Elmhurst Road
2
Continue on South Elmhurst Road
390 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Elmhurst Road
3
Turn right onto IL 72
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on East Touhy Avenue
5.5 mi
·
10 min
·
East Touhy Avenue
5
Turn right onto US 14
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Caldwell Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 94 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 94
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Continue on I 90; I 94
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
12
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
13
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
14
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
15
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
16
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 22.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 72 / West Touhy Avenue
Turn right onto IL 72 / West Touhy Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
10.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the ramp toward I 94 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 East
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge onto I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
21.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward 18th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
4
22.3 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
South Halsted Street
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.56 one way
$7.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.91 | $7.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.39 | $8.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.03 | $10.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Chicago, IL
Late night in Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
3:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Chance Rain Showers
WNW 15 to 20 mph
38% chance
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
12 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
37m 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?
This drive features a mixed profile, with 49% of the journey on highways. You'll spend a good portion of the 37 minutes navigating the Kennedy Expressway, including one uninterrupted stretch of 8.1 miles. Expect a blend of fast-paced expressway driving and potentially some surface street navigation as you approach your destination. The character of the road is primarily functional, designed for direct and timely travel between suburban and urban areas.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.1 mi on Kennedy Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 72 / West Touhy Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 22.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (IL 72 / West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles (I 94 / Edens Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving 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
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 37m. Total distance: 22.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.1 miles on Kennedy Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 (IL 72 / West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles (I 94 / Edens Expressway): 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chicago, 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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