Origin
Mundelein, IL
Late night in Mundelein on Tuesday
Local time
4:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mundelein, IL to Des Plaines, 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
29m
Distance
18.3 mi
30 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mundelein, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Mundelein to Des Plaines is 18.3 miles and takes about 29m via North Des Plaines River Road/North Milwaukee Avenue/US 45, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Illinois, connecting two Midwest communities. The route primarily uses surface roads, making it a straightforward drive. Given its brevity, this is an easy option for a quick trip or an add-on to a larger travel plan.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Des Plaines River Road | 5 mi | 8m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| US 45 | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| South Milwaukee Avenue | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| South Lake Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Milwaukee Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Des Plaines River Road
— 5 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mundelein, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on US 45
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
South Lake Street
2
Turn left onto US 45
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
US 45
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto US 45; IL 21
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Milwaukee Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on US 45; IL 21
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on US 45; IL 21
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
South Milwaukee Avenue
6
Turn right onto US 45
5.0 mi
·
8 min
·
North Des Plaines River Road
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Henry Avenue
8
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 2.1 and 18.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 45
Turn left onto US 45
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
US 45; IL 21 / Milwaukee Avenue
Turn right onto US 45; IL 21 / Milwaukee Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
13.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
US 45 / North Des Plaines River Road
Turn right onto US 45 / North Des Plaines River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
18.2 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
Henry Avenue
Turn right onto Henry Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.86 one way
$5.72 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.14 | $6.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.52 | $7.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Des Plaines, IL
Late night in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
4:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
29m 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 drive is mostly surface roads, with only 21% on highways. You'll spend the bulk of your time navigating local streets. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 5 miles on North Des Plaines River Road. Expect a more urban feel with frequent intersections and potential for traffic as you approach Des Plaines.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5 mi on North Des Plaines River Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near US 45.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 29m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (US 45): Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (US 45; IL 21 / Milwaukee Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles (US 45 / North Des Plaines River Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Mundelein, IL
Full guide →Founded 1865
Arriving in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
Top landmarks
- • McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
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 29m. Total distance: 18.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (21%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5 miles on North Des Plaines River 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: at 2.1 miles (US 45): Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (US 45; IL 21 / Milwaukee Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles (US 45 / North Des Plaines River 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 Des Plaines, 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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