Origin
Lincolnwood, IL
Late night in Lincolnwood on Sunday
Local time
3:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lincolnwood, IL to Palatine, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
19.7 mi
32 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 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lincolnwood, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lincolnwood, IL to Palatine, IL is 19.7 miles and takes about 33m via Lincoln Avenue/West Howard Street/Niles Center Road, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and the state of Illinois, making it a convenient local excursion. You'll primarily navigate surface roads for the entire duration. It's a straightforward drive, ideal for a quick errand or a short hop between towns without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Palatine Road | 6.8 mi | 10m |
| Milwaukee Avenue | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Howard Street | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Lincoln Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Howard Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Old Palatine Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Frontage Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Palatine Road
— 6.8 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lincolnwood, IL and Palatine, IL.
1
Start on West Pratt Avenue
11 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Pratt Avenue
2
Turn sharp left onto US 41
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Turn left onto West Howard Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Howard Street
4
Turn left onto Niles Center Road
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Niles Center Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Fargo Avenue
105 ft
·
3 sec
·
Fargo Avenue
6
Turn right onto Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Frontage Road
7
Turn slight left onto Howard Street
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Howard Street
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto IL 21
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on IL 21
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Milwaukee Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto Old Palatine Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on West Palatine Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Palatine Road
12
Take the ramp
359 ft
·
9 sec
Toward Palatine Road
13
Merge onto Palatine Road
6.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Palatine Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
East Palatine Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 12.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 41 / Lincoln Avenue
Turn sharp left onto US 41 / Lincoln Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Niles Center Road
Turn left onto Niles Center Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
4.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue
Turn right onto IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
12.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Old Palatine Road
Turn left onto Old Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
12.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
Palatine Road
Merge onto Palatine Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.05 one way
$6.11 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $3.35 | $6.70 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.82 | $7.64 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $4.34 | $8.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
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
Palatine, IL
Late night in Palatine on Sunday
Local time
3:34 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
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
33m 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 entirely on surface roads, with 0% highway share. You'll be driving on Lincoln Avenue, West Howard Street, and Niles Center Road for the full 19.7 miles. Expect a consistent driving experience without the rapid acceleration and deceleration often associated with highway travel. This means you'll likely encounter more traffic signals and intersections throughout the 33-minute drive.
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: 6.8 mi on Palatine Road.
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 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 41 / Lincoln Avenue.
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 19.7 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (US 41 / Lincoln Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (Niles Center Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles (IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Lincolnwood, IL
Full guide →Founded 1922
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 33m. Total distance: 19.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m 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 6.8 miles on Palatine Road. 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 (US 41 / Lincoln Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (Niles Center Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles (IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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