Origin
Lyons, IL
Morning in Lyons on Tuesday
Local time
10:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lyons, IL to Evanston, 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
40m
Distance
21.1 mi
34 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 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lyons, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 21.1-mile drive from Lyons, IL to Evanston, IL is a straightforward local journey that can easily be completed in about 40 minutes. Designed as a single-day trip, it's a good option for a quick excursion within the Midwest region. You'll navigate using main roads like South Pulaski Road, North Western Avenue, and West Ogden Avenue, with no highway driving involved. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $3, making it an economical choice. This route offers a practical way to connect two points within Illinois without extensive travel time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Pulaski Road | 4.9 mi | 9m |
| North Western Avenue | 4.5 mi | 8m |
| West Ogden Avenue | 4.4 mi | 8m |
| North Pulaski Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| West Irving Park Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Asbury Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Joliet Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| South Harlem Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Pulaski Road
— 4.9 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lyons, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on 43rd Street
12 ft
·
2 sec
·
43rd Street
2
Turn right onto Amelia Avenue
50 ft
·
8 sec
·
Amelia Avenue
3
Turn left onto Joliet Road
219 ft
·
3 sec
·
Joliet Road
4
Continue on 43rd Street
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
43rd Street
5
Continue on Joliet Road
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Joliet Road
6
Turn slight left onto IL 43
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
South Harlem Avenue
7
Turn right onto US 66 Hist
4.4 mi
·
8 min
·
West Ogden Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left
195 ft
·
15 sec
9
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
123 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Cermak Road
10
Turn left onto South Pulaski Road
4.9 mi
·
9 min
·
South Pulaski Road
Use the left lane.
11
At end of road, turn right onto West Belden Avenue
170 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Belden Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto North Pulaski Road
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Pulaski Road
13
Turn right onto IL 19
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West Irving Park Road
14
Turn left onto North Western Avenue
4.5 mi
·
8 min
·
North Western Avenue
15
Continue on Asbury Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Asbury Avenue
16
Turn right onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
17
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 21 — 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
|
Amelia Avenue
Turn right onto Amelia Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Joliet Road
Turn left onto Joliet Road
Navigation decision point
6
5.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
South Pulaski Road
Turn left onto South Pulaski Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
10.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
West Belden Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto West Belden Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
21 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.30 one way
$6.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.62 | $7.24 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.06 | $8.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.66 | $9.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.4 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 | 6.3 | 0 | $2.22 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.85 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.95 | $1.35 |
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
Evanston, IL
Morning in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
10:18 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
12 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
40m 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 on this route, with a 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.9 miles on South Pulaski Road. As you progress, the road will likely transition between different named local streets, requiring your attention for navigation. This isn't a route for cruising at high speeds; rather, it's about navigating through the urban and suburban landscape of the Midwest. The character of the drive is defined by its frequent turns and reliance on local road networks.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.9 mi on South Pulaski Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Amelia Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 21.1 miles you will encounter 12 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 (Amelia Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (Joliet Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles (South Pulaski Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Lyons, IL
Full guide →Top landmarks
- • Chicago Portage National Historic Site — historic site in Lyons, Illinois
Arriving in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Grosse Point Light — lighthouse in Illinois, United States
- • Shakespeare Garden — garden on the campus of Northwestern University
- • Frederick B. Carter, Jr. House — historic house in Illinois, United States
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 40m. Total distance: 21.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.9 miles on South Pulaski Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (Amelia Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (Joliet Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles (South Pulaski Road): 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 Evanston, 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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