Origin
Schaumburg, IL
Morning in Schaumburg on Tuesday
Local time
8:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Schaumburg, IL to Elmhurst, 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
24m
Distance
15 mi
24 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Schaumburg, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elmhurst, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Schaumburg to Elmhurst is 15 miles and takes about 24 minutes via I 290 and Elgin-O'Hare Tollway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Illinois, connecting two Midwest communities. You'll experience a mix of highway driving and surface streets. It's a straightforward route, perfect for a quick errand or a brief segment of a larger regional trip. Given its brevity, it doesn't require extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 290 | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| South Roselle Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Elgin-O'Hare Tollway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| North York Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Roselle Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Addison Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Thacker Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Park Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 7.2 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Schaumburg, IL and Elmhurst, 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
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 12
Toward York Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto North York Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North York Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn right onto West 2nd Street
335 ft
·
9 sec
·
West 2nd Street
Use the right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto West 2nd Street
127 ft
·
8 sec
·
West 2nd Street
15
At end of road, turn left onto North Addison Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Addison Avenue
16
Turn right onto Cottage Hill Avenue
230 ft
·
13 sec
·
Cottage Hill Avenue
17
Turn left onto West Park Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Park Avenue
18
Turn sharp left
65 ft
·
4 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 13.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Turn left toward IL 390 East Toll
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward IL 390 East Toll
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
13.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward York Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12
Toward York Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.35 one way
$4.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.57 | $5.15 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.89 | $5.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.31 | $6.62 |
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
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| Efficient EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.31 | $0.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Elmhurst, IL
Morning in Elmhurst on Tuesday
Local time
8:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
12 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
24m 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 about half highway, with 48% of the 15 miles on faster roads like I 290. Your longest stretch on a limited-access highway will be 7.2 miles on I 290. Expect a transition from the tollway to surface streets as you approach Elmhurst. The density of exits on I 290 will be noticeable as you navigate this urban-to-suburban connection.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.2 mi on I 290.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3 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 16 decision points packed into just 15 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; 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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
800 ft
673 ft
Total Climb
86 ft
Total Descent
187 ft
Highest Point
800 ft
~2.1 mi in
Elevation Range
127 ft
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 Elmhurst, 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 Elmhurst, IL
Full guide →Elmhurst is in Chicagoland.
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 24m. Total distance: 15 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). 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 7.2 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 Elmhurst, 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 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; 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.
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 Elmhurst, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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