Origin
Evanston, IL
Morning in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
10:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Evanston, IL to Glen Ellyn, 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
52m
Distance
29 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Glen Ellyn, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling the 29 miles from Evanston to Glen Ellyn is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 52 minutes. You will primarily navigate via the Tri-State Tollway, East North Avenue, and West Touhy Avenue. Because the total duration is under an hour, this trip is easily managed as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. With an estimated fuel cost of just $4, it is an economical route for commuters or weekend travelers moving between these two Midwest locations. While the drive is relatively short, its turn-heavy nature means you should stay alert behind the wheel throughout the entire trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 8.1 mi | 10m |
| East North Avenue | 5.7 mi | 12m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 4 mi | 7m |
| Oakton Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| Main Street | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| North Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Gross Point Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 8.1 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Glen Ellyn, IL.
1
Start on this road
197 ft
·
21 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left
139 ft
·
15 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
14 sec
·
Dempster Street
4
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Oakton Street
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Oakton Street
6
Turn slight left onto Gross Point Road
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Gross Point Road
7
Turn straight onto New Gross Point Road
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
New Gross Point Road
8
Turn right onto Howard Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Howard Street
9
Turn left onto North Lehigh Avenue
120 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Lehigh Avenue
10
Turn right onto West Gross Point Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Gross Point Road
11
Turn slight right onto West Touhy Avenue
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
184 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Des Plaines River Road
13
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 294 South: Indiana
14
Merge onto I 294
8.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 33
Toward I 290 West: Rockford, Elmhurst
Use the right lane.
16
Merge onto I 290
464 ft
·
7 sec
·
I 290
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 13B
Toward IL 64 West: North Avenue
Use the right lane.
18
Turn straight onto IL 64
5.7 mi
·
12 min
·
East North Avenue
Use the left / uturn lanes.
19
Continue on IL 64
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Avenue
20
Turn left onto Main Street
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
21
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
73 ft
·
1 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
Pennsylvania Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 19.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
At end of road, turn left
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Dempster Street
At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Asbury Avenue
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
19.4 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward I 290 West: Rockford, Elmhurst
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 33
Toward I 290 West: Rockford, Elmhurst
8
19.8 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward IL 64 West: North Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 13B
Toward IL 64 West: North Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.53 one way
$9.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.98 | $9.96 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.58 | $11.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.40 | $12.81 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.49
Tri-state Tollway
(8.1 mi)
$0.49
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.54 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.06 | $1.86 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Glen Ellyn, IL
Morning in Glen Ellyn on Tuesday
Local time
10:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
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
14 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
52m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features zero percent highway share. You will spend most of your time navigating local roads, with the longest uninterrupted stretch being 8.1 miles on the Tri-State Tollway. The experience requires frequent adjustments and consistent attention to changing road conditions as you transition between thoroughfares. Because you are navigating through varied local infrastructure, the drive feels more like a series of connected segments than a single high-speed sprint. Plan on constant engagement with the steering wheel as you navigate the turns that define this 29-mile path.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.1 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 early in the drive.
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 16 decision points packed into just 29 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Dempster Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
753 ft
601 ft
Total Climb
179 ft
Total Descent
54 ft
Highest Point
753 ft
~26.9 mi in
Elevation Range
152 ft
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.
On the drive from Evanston, IL to Glen Ellyn, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Elmhurst along the way.
Elmhurst
19.4 mi in
|
~33m
About the Cities
Starting in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Grosse Point Light — lighthouse in Illinois, United States
- • Shakespeare Garden — garden on the campus of Northwestern University
- • Frederick B. Carter, Jr. House — historic house in Illinois, United States
Arriving in Glen Ellyn, IL
Full guide →Founded 1834
Glen Ellyn is a village in the Chicagoland area. This village has an interesting history filled with its ups and downs. However, today Glen Ellyn remains an affluent Chicago suburb with an abundance of historic sites and an exceptional dining scene.
Top landmarks
- • Glen Ellyn Downtown South Historic District — historic district in Illinois, United States
- • Lake Ellyn Park — park in Glen Ellyn, 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 52m. Total distance: 29 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.1 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.49 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state 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 Glen Ellyn, 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: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Dempster Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Glen Ellyn, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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