Origin
Glen Ellyn, IL
Late night in Glen Ellyn on Tuesday
Local time
5:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glen Ellyn, IL to Aurora, 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
35m
Distance
20.5 mi
33 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glen Ellyn, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Glen Ellyn to Aurora, expect a straightforward 24.9-mile journey across the Illinois landscape. This trip typically takes about 33 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a quick day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via College Avenue, North Washington Street, and East Roosevelt Road to reach your destination. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $4, this drive is highly economical for those moving between these two Midwest locations. Because you remain within the same state and region, you can easily complete the excursion in a single outing without needing to plan for extended travel fatigue.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 10 mi | 12m |
| South Naperville Road | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| College Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Washington Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Warrenville Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 10 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glen Ellyn, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on Pennsylvania Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
2
Continue on College Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
College Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Washington Street
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Washington Street
4
Turn right onto IL 38
387 ft
·
17 sec
·
East Roosevelt Road
5
Turn left onto South Naperville Road
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
South Naperville Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto Warrenville Road
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Warrenville Road
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left onto Freedom Drive
512 ft
·
13 sec
·
Freedom Drive
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 88 Toll West: Aurora
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
10.0 mi
·
12 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Use the right lane.
11
Turn right onto IL 31
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
12
Continue on IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
13
Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
14
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 17.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
South Naperville Road
Turn left onto South Naperville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
Warrenville Road
Turn right onto Warrenville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
6.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
Freedom Drive
Turn left onto Freedom Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 Toll West: Aurora
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 88 Toll West: Aurora
8
17.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.20 one way
$6.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.52 | $7.04 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.95 | $7.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.53 | $9.05 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.60
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(10 mi)
$0.60
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.15 | $0.98 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.79 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Aurora, IL
Late night in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
5:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
1 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
35m 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 that keeps you engaged behind the wheel rather than settling into a monotonous interstate cruise. Since this route features a 0% highway share, you will be navigating surface streets for the entire 24.9-mile duration. There is no long-distance highway stretch to speak of, with zero miles of uninterrupted travel on College Avenue. You should prepare for a series of turns as you transition between local roads, requiring your full attention throughout the half-hour drive. This personality makes the trip feel more like a suburban transit experience than a high-speed highway commute.
Only 0% 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: 10 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in near South Naperville Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 20.5 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (South Naperville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (Warrenville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (Freedom Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting 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
Arriving in Aurora, IL
Full guide →Founded 1835
Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.
Top landmarks
- • Aurora University — private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S
- • Hotel Arthur — United States historic place
- • Graham Building — historic building in Aurora, 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 35m. Total distance: 20.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m 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 10 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.60 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan 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 Aurora, 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 2.6 miles (South Naperville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (Warrenville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (Freedom Drive): 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 Aurora, 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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