Origin
Melrose Park, IL
Late night in Melrose Park on Sunday
Local time
2:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Melrose Park, 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
32m
Distance
21.2 mi
34 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 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Melrose Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 21.2-mile drive from Melrose Park, IL to Palatine, IL is easily completed in about 32 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll be spending about 70% of your time on highways, so expect a focused driving experience. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $3, which is quite budget-friendly. Given its short duration and the Midwest's familiar landscape, this route is best tackled in a single day without the need for an overnight stay. It's a practical option for getting between these two Illinois communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 12.5 mi | 16m |
| IL 53 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| North Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| Hicks Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| West North Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North 25th Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Division Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Northwest Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 12.5 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Melrose Park, IL and Palatine, IL.
1
Start on Division Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Division Street
2
Turn right onto North 25th Avenue
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
North 25th Avenue
3
Turn left onto IL 64
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on IL 64
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West North Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 290 West, US 20 West: Rockford
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on US 20
13 mi
·
16 min
·
US 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward Kirchoff Road
Use the right lane.
9
Turn left onto Kirchoff Road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kirchoff Road
10
Turn right onto West Frontage Road
400 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Frontage Road
11
Continue on Hicks Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Hicks Road
12
Turn left onto US 14
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
East Northwest Highway
13
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
73 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
East Palatine Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 21.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North 25th Avenue
Turn right onto North 25th Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
3.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 290 West, US 20 West: Rockford
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 290 West, US 20 West: Rockford
6
16.5 mi into trip
|
~24m 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
18.7 mi into trip
|
~27m 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
21.2 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
East Palatine Road
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.31 one way
$6.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.64 | $7.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.08 | $8.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.68 | $9.36 |
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 | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.85 | $0.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
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
2:36 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
21 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
32m 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?
The personality of this drive is predominantly highway-focused, with a significant 70% of the journey utilizing faster roads. You'll encounter stretches on US 20, IL 53, and North Avenue, offering a consistent pace. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll experience is 12.5 miles on US 20, allowing for a good period of steady travel. While not a winding, scenic byway, this route provides an efficient and direct path, characterized by the efficiency of major roadways characteristic of the Midwest region.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.5 mi on US 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and IL 53. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near North 25th Avenue.
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 21.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (North 25th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.5 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 32m. Total distance: 21.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.5 miles on US 20. 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: at 0.4 miles (North 25th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.5 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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