Origin
Elmhurst, IL
Morning in Elmhurst on Tuesday
Local time
8:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elmhurst, IL to Palatine, 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
26m
Distance
17.5 mi
28 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmhurst, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 17.5-mile drive from Elmhurst, IL, to Palatine, IL, will take you about 26 minutes, making it an easy day trip. With a projected fuel cost of just $3, it's an economical journey. The route is primarily highway-focused, so expect a direct and efficient commute. Given its short distance and quick travel time, no overnight stay is necessary. This trip stays within the Midwest region, offering a familiar driving experience.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 290 | 11.1 mi | 14m |
| IL 53 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Hicks Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| North York Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| East Northwest Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kirchoff Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Frontage Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Park Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 11.1 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elmhurst, IL and Palatine, IL.
1
Start on this road
267 ft
·
25 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
51 ft
·
9 sec
3
Turn left onto West Park Avenue
362 ft
·
17 sec
·
West Park Avenue
4
Turn left onto North York Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North York Street
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 290
11 mi
·
14 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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 0.1 and 17.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North York Street
Turn left onto North York Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
12.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
15.1 mi into trip
|
~21m 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
17.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
East Palatine Road
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.74 one way
$5.47 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.00 | $6.01 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.37 | $6.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.86 | $7.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.53 | $0.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Morning in Palatine on Tuesday
Local time
8:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
W 10 mph
38% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 11:30AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 11:30AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
18 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
26m 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 is largely a highway-focused drive, with 76% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on I 290, including an uninterrupted stretch of 11.1 miles. The transition to IL 53 and then Hicks Road will bring you off the interstate for the final leg. While not a scenic tour, it offers a consistent pace for efficient travel.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.1 mi on I 290.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 290 and IL 53. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
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 17.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North York Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Elmhurst, IL
Full guide →Elmhurst is in Chicagoland.
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 26m. Total distance: 17.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.1 miles on I 290. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North York Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles (IL 53): 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 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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