Origin
Elk Grove, IL
Afternoon in Elk Grove on Sunday
Local time
3:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elk Grove, IL to Palatine, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
9.9 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 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elk Grove, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Elk Grove, IL to Palatine, IL is 9.9 miles and takes about 15m via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Midwest region, specifically connecting two Illinois communities. It's a quick hop, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss. Given its brief duration, you won't need to pack much, and the low fuel cost makes it an economical choice for a local trip. Expect a straightforward journey with minimal travel time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| Hicks Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| IL 53 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| South Elmhurst Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Northwest Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kirchoff Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Frontage Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Palatine Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 4.3 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elk Grove, IL and Palatine, IL.
1
Start on South Elmhurst Road
231 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Elmhurst Road
2
Continue on South Elmhurst Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Elmhurst Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
4
Merge onto I 90
4.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 68 B-A
Toward IL 53 North, IL 53 South, I 290 East: West Suburbs, Northwest Suburbs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 68B
Toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs, Rolling Meadows
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto IL 53
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 53
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward Kirchoff Road
Use the right lane.
9
Turn left onto Kirchoff Road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kirchoff Road
10
Turn right onto West Frontage Road
400 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Frontage Road
11
Continue on Hicks Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Hicks Road
12
Turn left onto US 14
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
East Northwest Highway
13
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
73 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
East Palatine Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 9.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
8
5.7 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward IL 53 North, IL 53 South, I 290 East: West Suburbs, Northwest Suburbs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 68 B-A
Toward IL 53 North, IL 53 South, I 290 East: We...
9
5.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs, Rolling Meadows
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 68B
Toward IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs, Rolling...
6
7.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward Kirchoff Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Kirchoff Road
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
East Palatine Road
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.55 one way
$3.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.70 | $3.40 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.91 | $3.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.19 | $4.37 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.30
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(4.3 mi)
$0.30
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.04 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.87 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
Palatine, IL
Afternoon in Palatine on Sunday
Local time
3:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
W 10 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
17 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
15m 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 route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter frequent turns and traffic signals, typical of navigating suburban areas. While it has an 11% highway share, the bulk of the journey involves local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 4.3 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, offering a brief period of smoother, faster travel. Be prepared for the road to weave through residential and commercial zones, requiring your attention to navigation and local traffic patterns.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.3 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 0.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 9.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 15m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Elk Grove, IL and Palatine, IL, road signs point toward Northwest Suburbs and Rolling Meadows.
Northwest Suburbs
5.7 mi in
|
~7m
Rolling Meadows
5.9 mi in
|
~8m
About the Cities
Arriving in Palatine, IL
Full guide →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 15m. Total distance: 9.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m 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 4.3 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.30 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams 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 Palatine, 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 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Palatine, 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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