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Trip from Evanston, IL to Villa Park, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

43m

Distance

24.9 mi

40 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 40m ★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

suburban city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Evanston, IL

Wikimedia Commons

village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States of America

Villa Park, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 24.9-mile drive from Evanston, IL to Villa Park, IL is a straightforward local trip that can easily be completed in about 43 minutes. With a modest fuel cost of around $4, it's an economical option for a single day. The journey primarily utilizes the Tri-State Tollway, West Touhy Avenue, and Oakton Street, making it a familiar Midwest drive. Since it's a short distance, there's no need to plan for an overnight stay; you can complete this trip in a single day. The overall feel is that of a typical suburban commute, focusing on efficient travel between two Illinois communities.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tri-State Tollway 8.1 mi 10m
West Touhy Avenue 4 mi 7m
Oakton Street 4 mi 7m
East Saint Charles Road 3.4 mi 6m
Asbury Avenue 1 mi 1m
I 290 0.9 mi 1m
West Gross Point Road 0.9 mi 1m
Gross Point Road 0.5 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 Villa Park, 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 · 31 sec
Exit 13B Toward IL 64 West: North Avenue Use the right lane.
18

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Toward I 290 East Use the right lane.
19

Merge onto I 290

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 290
20

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Exit 14A Toward West Saint Charles Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Turn straight onto East Saint Charles Road

3.4 mi · 6 min · East Saint Charles Road
22

Arrive at destination

West Saint Charles Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 21.2 — 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

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
7
21.2 mi into trip | ~36m in

Take the exit toward West Saint Charles Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 14A Toward West Saint Charles Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.89 one way

$7.79 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $4.27 $8.55
premium $4.89 $4.79 $9.58
diesel $5.61 $5.50 $11.00

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

$4

Tolls

$0

Total

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.5 0 $2.61 $1.20
Efficient EV 6.2 0 $2.18 $1.00
EV Truck/SUV 10 0 $3.49 $1.59

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Evanston, IL

Late night in Evanston on Sunday

Local time

2:58 AM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Villa Park, IL

Late night in Villa Park on Sunday

Local time

2:58 AM

CDT

Current temp

71°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

4 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

43m 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 on this route, with about 4% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.1 miles on the Tri-State Tollway. While much of the drive involves navigating local streets like West Touhy Avenue and Oakton Street, you'll experience a mix of suburban road conditions. This isn't a monotonous highway grind; instead, be prepared for frequent turns and traffic lights as you transition through different local areas. The character of the road shifts from tollway speeds to more typical town road pacing.

Only 4% 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?

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 early in the drive.

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 16 decision points packed into just 24.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.

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 (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

On the drive from Evanston, IL to Villa Park, 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

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 43m. Total distance: 24.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

43m 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 Villa Park, 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 (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Villa Park, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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