Origin
Markham, IL
Morning in Markham on Sunday
Local time
9:24 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Markham, IL to Aurora, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
47 mi
76 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Markham, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Markham to Aurora is 47 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via Veterans Memorial Tollway and I-80, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, moving from one Midwest locale to another. It's a straightforward drive that offers a good mix of highway cruising and surface street navigation. Given its short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a quick commute or an easy day trip without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 15.2 mi | 16m |
| I 80 | 13.6 mi | 16m |
| 75th Street | 8.9 mi | 15m |
| East New York Street | 6 mi | 10m |
| Illinois Route 59 | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Kedzie Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Galena Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Lake Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 15.2 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Markham, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on 163rd Street
64 ft
·
6 sec
·
163rd Street
2
Turn right onto Kedzie Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Kedzie Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 80 West
4
Merge onto I 80
14 mi
·
16 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 140
Toward I 355 Toll North: Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 355
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 15
Toward 75th Street, Woodridge, Darien
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto 75th Street
8.9 mi
·
15 min
·
75th Street
Use the left lane.
9
Turn right onto IL 59
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Illinois Route 59
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto East New York Street
6.0 mi
·
10 min
·
East New York Street
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto IL 31
417 ft
·
14 sec
·
North Lake Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
13
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from Markham, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 46.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
14.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll North: Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 140
Toward I 355 Toll North: Rockford
8
30.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward 75th Street, Woodridge, Darien
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 15
Toward 75th Street, Woodridge, Darien
4
30.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
75th Street
Turn left onto 75th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
46.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
IL 31 / North Lake Street
Turn left onto IL 31 / North Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.17 one way
$14.34 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $7.90 | $15.79 |
| premium | $4.81 | $8.89 | $17.79 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $10.00 | $20.00 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.06
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(15.2 mi)
$1.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.11 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.58 | $3.01 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Aurora, IL
Morning in Aurora on Sunday
Local time
9:24 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°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
16 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
1h 6m 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 about 31% highway, with the longest continuous stretch on Veterans Memorial Tollway covering 15.2 miles. You'll spend a good portion of your time on surface streets, likely noticing denser traffic and more frequent intersections as you transition from highway to local roads. The profile is mixed, meaning you'll experience both faster highway driving and slower, more controlled travel on roads like 75th Street.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.2 mi on Veterans Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near I 80.
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 47 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: at 1 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Markham, IL and Aurora, IL, road signs point toward Woodridge and Darien.
Woodridge
30.5 mi in
|
~36m
Darien
30.5 mi in
|
~36m
About the Cities
Arriving in Aurora, IL
Full guide →Founded 1835
Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.
Top landmarks
- • Aurora University — private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S
- • Hotel Arthur — United States historic place
- • Graham Building — historic building in Aurora, Illinois
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 1h 6m. Total distance: 47 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.2 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.06 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.
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 1 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Aurora, 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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