Origin
Palatine, IL
Night in Palatine on Saturday
Local time
11:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palatine, IL to Chicago, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
31 mi
50 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
Traveling the 31 miles from Palatine to Chicago is a straightforward commute that typically takes about 48 minutes under normal traffic conditions. This trip stays entirely within the Midwest, connecting the suburban setting of Palatine to the urban core of Chicago. Because the journey is relatively short, you can easily complete it as a single-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. With a modest fuel budget of just $5, it remains an economical way to bridge the gap between these two Illinois locations. Whether you are heading in for work or a day of exploration, this route offers a practical link between the suburban landscape and the city center.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| Palatine Road | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Milwaukee Avenue | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| East Palatine Road | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Kennedy Expressway
— 8.1 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palatine, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on East Palatine Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Palatine Road
2
Continue on Palatine Road
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Palatine Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Take the exit
343 ft
·
9 sec
Toward US 45, IL 21: Milwaukee Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
4
Turn straight onto East Palatine Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Palatine Road
5
Turn right onto US 45; IL 21
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Milwaukee Avenue
6
Continue on IL 21
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
7
Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto US 14
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Caldwell Avenue
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 94 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 94
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Continue on I 90; I 94
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
15
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
16
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
17
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
18
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
19
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.5 miles from Palatine, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 6.8 and 29.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
6.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward US 45, IL 21: Milwaukee Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 45, IL 21: Milwaukee Avenue
5
15.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
West Touhy Avenue
Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
18.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the ramp toward I 94 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 East
5
18.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge onto I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29.9 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward 18th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.85 one way
$9.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.32 | $10.64 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.97 | $11.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.84 | $13.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.25 | $1.49 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.71 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.34 | $1.98 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Chicago, IL
Night in Chicago on Saturday
Local time
11:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
98% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
4 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
48m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition from local roads to major arterials. You will navigate a combination of Palatine Road and Milwaukee Avenue before merging onto the Kennedy Expressway, which accounts for about 36% of your total mileage. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is an 8.1-mile segment on the Kennedy Expressway, where you can settle into a steady pace. As you move toward the destination, the character of the road shifts from suburban surface streets to the higher-traffic flow of the city’s primary highway infrastructure. It is a functional drive that requires steady focus as you navigate these varying road types.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.1 mi on Kennedy Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 6.8 miles in.
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 31 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: at 6.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Palatine, IL
Full guide →Arriving in Chicago, IL
Full guide →Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
Top landmarks
- • Willis Tower — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois
- • Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
- • Wrigley Field — baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA; home venue of the Chicago Cubs
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 48m. Total distance: 31 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.1 miles on Kennedy Expressway. 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 Chicago, 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 6.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.5 miles: 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 Chicago, 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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