Origin
Glendale Heights, IL
Late night in Glendale Heights on Tuesday
Local time
5:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glendale Heights, IL to Palatine, 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
25m
Distance
16.1 mi
26 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glendale Heights, IL
Choco Kitty
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Glendale Heights to Palatine, you are looking at a quick 16.1-mile journey that typically takes about 25 minutes. This route is entirely contained within the Midwest, making it an easy day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via I-290, I-355, and IL-53 to reach your destination. With fuel costs estimated at just $2, this is a very budget-friendly commute. Because the trip is so short and straightforward, you have the flexibility to head out whenever it best suits your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| I 355 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| IL 53 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Hicks Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Glen Ellyn Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| West Army Trail Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Army Trail Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Northwest Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 5.6 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glendale Heights, IL and Palatine, IL.
1
Start on Highland Avenue
83 ft
·
10 sec
·
Highland Avenue
2
Turn left onto Winthrop Avenue
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Winthrop Avenue
3
At end of road, turn left onto Glen Ellyn Road
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Glen Ellyn Road
4
Turn right onto East Army Trail Road
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
East Army Trail Road
5
Continue on West Army Trail Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Army Trail Road
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 355
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
I 355
8
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward Kirchoff Road
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto Kirchoff Road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kirchoff Road
12
Turn right onto West Frontage Road
400 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Frontage Road
13
Continue on Hicks Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Hicks Road
14
Turn left onto US 14
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
East Northwest Highway
15
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
73 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
East Palatine Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 16.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Winthrop Avenue
Turn left onto Winthrop Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
6
11.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
13.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward Kirchoff Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Kirchoff Road
6
16.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
East Palatine Road
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.52 one way
$5.03 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.76 | $5.53 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.10 | $6.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.55 | $7.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.69 | $0.77 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.41 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.25 | $1.03 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Palatine, IL
Late night in Palatine on Tuesday
Local time
5:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
25m 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?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 64% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You should expect a consistent interstate experience rather than a winding backroad journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 5.6-mile segment on I-290. Because the route relies on a mix of I-355 and IL-53, the road feel is efficient and built for speed rather than leisure. You will spend most of your time behind the wheel focused on merging and transitions between these major Chicago-area arteries.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.6 mi on I 290.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 290 and I 355. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Winthrop Avenue.
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 11 decision points packed into just 16.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Winthrop Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Palatine, IL
Full guide →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 25m. Total distance: 16.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.6 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 Palatine, 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 (Winthrop Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Palatine, 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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