Elmhurst, IL to South Chicago, IL is 30.4 miles and takes about 46m via I 290 and the Chicago Skyway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest. Given its short distance and primarily highway profile, it's a straightforward trip suitable for a single day. You'll be on major expressways for most of the drive, so expect typical urban interstate conditions. Plan for this to be a quick transit rather than a destination in itself.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 290
14.8 mi
20m
Chicago Skyway
5 mi
7m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
3.8 mi
5m
Dan Ryan Expressway
2.2 mi
2m
East Saint Charles Road
0.9 mi
1m
South Commercial Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
South York Street
0.6 mi
1m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 14.8 mi, about 20m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 3 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~8,925 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~1,444 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 49 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elmhurst, IL and South Chicago, 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·13 sec·West Park Avenue
4
Turn right onto South York Street
0.6 mi·1 min·South York Street
5
Turn left onto East Saint Charles Road
0.9 mi·1 min·East Saint Charles Road
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 290 East
7
Merge onto I 290
15 mi·20 min·I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi·15 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
10
Merge onto I 90; I 94
2.2 mi·2 min·Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
3.8 mi·5 min·Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
Exit 59AToward I 90 EastUse the right lane.
13
Merge onto I 90; I 94
0.5 mi·49 sec·Dan Ryan Expressway (Local)
Use the slight left lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
4.5 mi·6 min·Chicago Skyway
Exit 59AToward I 90 EastUse the slight left lane.
15
Turn straight onto I 90
0.1 mi·14 sec·Chicago Skyway
16
Merge onto I 90
0.3 mi·40 sec·Chicago Skyway
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
Exit 105Toward Anthony Avenue, 92nd StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn left onto South Anthony Avenue
361 ft·10 sec·South Anthony Avenue
19
Turn left onto East 92nd Street
0.3 mi·50 sec·East 92nd Street
20
Turn left onto South Commercial Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·South Commercial Avenue
21
Turn left onto East 86th Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·East 86th Street
22
Turn right
217 ft·15 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 15.2 miles from Elmhurst, 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 16.7 and 28.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
16.7 mi into trip|~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
6
19.2 mi into trip|~27m in|I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
7
23 mi into trip|~32m in
Take the exit toward I 90 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 59A
Toward I 90 East
8
23.9 mi into trip|~34m in|I 90 / Chicago Skyway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 / Chicago Skyway toward I 90 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 59A
Toward I 90 East
8
28.9 mi into trip|~42m in
Take the exit toward Anthony Avenue, 92nd Street
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 105
Toward Anthony Avenue, 92nd Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.64 one way
$9.28 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg11 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$5.11
$10.22
premium
$4.81
$5.75
$11.50
diesel
$5.40
$6.47
$12.93
Estimated Tolls: $6.47
Chicago Skyway
$6.15
Chicago Skyway
(4.5 mi)$0.32
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$6
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
9.1
0
$3.19
$1.46
Efficient EV
7.6
0
$2.66
$1.22
EV Truck/SUV
12.2
0
$4.26
$1.95
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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 Apr 26, 2026
Origin
Elmhurst, IL
Late night
in Elmhurst on Sunday
Local time
3:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Partly Cloudy then Areas Of Fog
ENE 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:27PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:27PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
South Chicago, IL
Late night
in South Chicago on Sunday
Local time
3:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Mostly Cloudy then Areas Of Fog
ENE 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:27PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:27PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
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
1 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
46m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 70% of the 30.4 miles spent on expressways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 14.8 miles on I 290. After leaving the main expressways, you'll transition to surface roads for the remaining portion of the trip. Be prepared for urban merging and traffic patterns as you approach South Chicago.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.8 mi on I 290.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 290 and Chicago Skyway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16.7 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 20 decision points packed into just 30.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.2 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 30.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.8 miles on I 290. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $6.47 in tolls one way, starting with Chicago Skyway. 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 South Chicago, 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 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.2 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 South Chicago, IL before heading back.
