Origin
Homer Glen, IL
Late night in Homer Glen on Sunday
Local time
5:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Homer Glen, IL to Palatine, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
41.5 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Homer Glen, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from Homer Glen, IL, to Palatine, IL? This drive covers 41.5 miles and is estimated to take about 55 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You'll primarily navigate Veterans Memorial Tollway and I-290, with a 19% highway share. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $6. Expect a route with a fair number of turns as you transition between major roads and local streets. Both your origin and destination are within the Midwest region, keeping the scenery consistent. This trip is straightforward and won't require an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 27 mi | 32m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| West 159th Street | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| IL 53 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Hicks Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| East Northwest Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kirchoff Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Frontage Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 27 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Homer Glen, IL and Palatine, IL.
1
Start on IL 7
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
West 159th Street
2
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 Toll North: West Suburbs
Use the right lane.
3
Merge onto I 355
27 mi
·
32 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward Kirchoff Road
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left onto Kirchoff Road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kirchoff Road
8
Turn right onto West Frontage Road
400 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Frontage Road
9
Continue on Hicks Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Hicks Road
10
Turn left onto US 14
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
East Northwest Highway
11
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
73 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
East Palatine Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.7 miles from Homer Glen, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 3.7 and 41.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 355 Toll North: West Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 355 Toll North: West Suburbs
5
4.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
36.8 mi into trip
|
~47m 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
39 mi into trip
|
~50m 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
41.4 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
East Palatine Road
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.49 one way
$12.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.12 | $14.25 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.99 | $15.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.16 | $18.33 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.89
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(27 mi)
$1.89
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.81 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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 Sunday
Local time
5:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
2 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
55m 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 route is best described as a turn-heavy local drive, despite its highway segments. While 19% of the journey is on the highway, the majority involves navigating surface streets and intersections. The longest stretch without a significant turn or exit is 27 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. You'll experience a mix of faster tollway driving followed by more deliberate navigation through suburban areas. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in speed and direction as you make your way toward Palatine.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27 mi on Veterans Memorial 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 around 3.7 miles in.
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 8 decision points packed into just 41.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.8 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 55m. Total distance: 41.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m 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 27 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.89 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans 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 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: at 3.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.8 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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