Origin
Glen Ellyn, IL
Late night in Glen Ellyn on Tuesday
Local time
3:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glen Ellyn, IL to Chicago, 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
42m
Distance
25.5 mi
41 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glen Ellyn, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head from Glen Ellyn to Chicago, you are looking at a straightforward 25.5-mile journey within the Midwest. This quick trip typically takes about 42 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You will primarily navigate via I-290, East Saint Charles Road, and North Main Street to complete the transit. With fuel costs estimated at just $4, it is an incredibly budget-friendly commute between these two Illinois locations. Since the entire drive stays within the same region, you won't have to worry about major environmental transitions, allowing you to focus on the ease of reaching the city center.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 290 | 14.8 mi | 20m |
| East Saint Charles Road | 7.4 mi | 13m |
| North Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Union Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Halsted Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Canalport Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 14.8 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glen Ellyn, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on Pennsylvania Avenue
73 ft
·
7 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
2
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
3
Turn right onto East Saint Charles Road
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
East Saint Charles Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto North Grace Street
234 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Grace Street
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto East Saint Charles Road
4.4 mi
·
8 min
·
East Saint Charles Road
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
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
13
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
14
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
15
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
16
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
17
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 3.9 and 24.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
North Grace Street
At end of road, turn right onto North Grace Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
8.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 290
Merge onto I 290
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
23.3 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor St...
7
23.5 mi into trip
|
~37m 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
7
24.4 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward 18th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.99 one way
$7.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.38 | $8.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.91 | $9.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.63 | $11.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 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 | 7.6 | 0 | $2.68 | $1.22 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
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.
Destination
Chicago, IL
Late night in Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
3:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
98% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago 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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
42m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 61% of this route is spent on major thoroughfares. You will face a significant stretch of 14.8 miles on I-290, which serves as the backbone of your travel. The transition from the local charm of North Main Street and East Saint Charles Road into the faster-paced interstate environment defines the personality of this drive. It functions as a functional, no-nonsense path rather than a scenic cruise, prioritizing efficiency over leisure. Be prepared for the shift in tempo as you move from the suburban streets of Glen Ellyn toward the dense infrastructure of Chicago.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 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?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 290 and East Saint Charles Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 miles in near North Grace Street.
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 15 decision points packed into just 25.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.9 miles (North Grace Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (I 290): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
739 ft
583 ft
Total Climb
20 ft
Total Descent
171 ft
Highest Point
739 ft
Elevation Range
156 ft
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 Chicago, IL
Full guide →Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
Top landmarks
- • Willis Tower — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois
- • Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
- • Wrigley Field — baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA; home venue of the Chicago Cubs
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 42m. Total distance: 25.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). 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.
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 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 3.9 miles (North Grace Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (I 290): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Chicago, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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