Origin
Schaumburg, IL
Late night in Schaumburg on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Schaumburg, 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
32.7 mi
53 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good 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.
Schaumburg, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head from Schaumburg into the heart of Chicago, you are looking at a straightforward 32.7-mile journey. Under normal traffic conditions, this drive typically takes about 48 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a quick day trip. You will primarily utilize I-290, the Elgin-O'Hare Tollway, and South Roselle Road to navigate between these two Midwest locations. With a fuel cost estimate of just $5, this is an incredibly budget-friendly commute or excursion. Because the trip is short and efficient, there is no need to worry about overnight lodging or splitting your travel time. It is a practical, no-nonsense route that connects the suburban landscape directly to the city center.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 290 | 24.2 mi | 32m |
| South Roselle Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Elgin-O'Hare Tollway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Roselle Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Union Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Halsted Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 24.2 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Schaumburg, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on North Pleasant Drive
426 ft
·
20 sec
·
North Pleasant Drive
2
Turn right onto West Thacker Street
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
West Thacker Street
3
Turn right onto North Roselle Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Roselle Road
4
Continue on South Roselle Road
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
South Roselle Road
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward IL 390 East Toll
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto IL 390
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 12
Toward I 290: Chicago, Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 290
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
·
I 290
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
24 mi
·
31 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
13
Merge onto I 90; I 94
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
16
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
17
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
18
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
19
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
20
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
21
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 32.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.4 miles from Schaumburg, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 5.1 and 31.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 290: Chicago, Rockford
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 12
Toward I 290: Chicago, Rockford
7
5.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 290
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
7
30.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
7
31.7 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
$5.11 one way
$10.22 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.61 | $11.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.29 | $12.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.22 | $14.44 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.12
Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
(1.8 mi)
$0.12
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 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 | 9.8 | 0 | $3.43 | $1.57 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.58 | $2.09 |
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
Late night in Chicago on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
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
5 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?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 76% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will find yourself settling into a steady rhythm during the longest stretch of the drive, which covers 24.2 miles along I-290. While the route starts with local navigation via South Roselle Road and the Elgin-O'Hare Tollway, the transition to the interstate defines the bulk of the experience. Expect a functional, fast-paced drive that prioritizes efficiency over scenic winding roads. The character of the road changes from suburban surface streets to a high-speed interstate corridor as you make your way toward the Chicago skyline.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.2 mi on I 290.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 290 and South Roselle Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 32.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from Schaumburg, IL to Chicago, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rockford along the way.
Rockford
5.1 mi in
|
~9m
About the Cities
Starting in Schaumburg, IL
Full guide →Schaumburg is a city in Chicagoland, best known for its ever popular Woodfield Mall, the largest mall in Illinois. Its name is derived from a place in Germany.
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: 32.7 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 (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.2 miles on I 290. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.12 in tolls one way, starting with Elgin-O'Hare 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.
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 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (I 290): 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 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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