Skip to main content

Trip from Schiller Park, IL to Joliet, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 2m

Distance

42.9 mi

69 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 58m ★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Schiller Park, IL

Wikimedia Commons

city in Illinois, United States

Joliet, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 42.9-mile drive from Schiller Park, IL, to Joliet, IL, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking about 1 hour and 2 minutes to complete. You'll primarily use the Veterans Memorial Tollway and Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, with some time on 25th Avenue. Given the short distance and estimated fuel cost of $7, this route is budget-friendly and doesn't require an overnight stay. The journey offers a practical, local feel within the Midwest region, making it a straightforward option for getting between these two Illinois locations.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Veterans Memorial Tollway 19.9 mi 22m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 7.6 mi 9m
25th Avenue 5.9 mi 12m
Maple Road 5.7 mi 11m
Eisenhower Expressway 1.8 mi 2m
North Ottawa Street 0.4 mi 1m
Harrison Street 0.2 mi <1m
Congress Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Veterans Memorial Tollway — 19.9 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Schiller Park, IL and Joliet, IL.

1

Start on this road

37 ft · 8 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto 25th Avenue

5.9 mi · 12 min · 25th Avenue
Use the left lane.
3

Turn right onto Congress Street

364 ft · 10 sec · Congress Street
4

Continue on Harrison Street

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Harrison Street
5

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 19 sec
Toward I 290 West
6

Merge onto I 290; IL 110

1.8 mi · 2 min · Eisenhower Expressway
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110

1.9 mi · 2 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 15A Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight left lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

5.8 mi · 6 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road) Use the slight right lane.
9

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 55 sec
Exit 131A Toward I 355 South: Joliet Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Merge onto I 355

20 mi · 22 min · Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 51 sec
Exit 1 Toward US 6: Southwest Highway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn right onto US 6

5.7 mi · 11 min · Maple Road
13

Turn left onto IL 53

0.4 mi · 1 min · North Ottawa Street
14

Turn right

111 ft · 8 sec
15

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

village in Downers Grove, Lisle, and York Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Downers Grove, IL

21 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.

Popular next leg

Downers Grove, IL to Joliet, IL

27.1 mi · 39m

Pacing Suggestions

Lockport, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 42.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lisle, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.4 miles from Schiller Park, 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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 36.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 25th Avenue

Turn left onto 25th Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
9
8.1 mi into trip | ~15m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 15A Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
9.9 mi into trip | ~18m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
7
15.7 mi into trip | ~25m in

Take the exit toward I 355 South: Joliet

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 131A Toward I 355 South: Joliet
7
36.3 mi into trip | ~49m in

Take the exit toward US 6: Southwest Highway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 1 Toward US 6: Southwest Highway

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.71 one way

$13.41 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.36 $14.73
premium $4.89 $8.26 $16.51
diesel $5.61 $9.47 $18.94

Estimated Tolls: $1.85

Veterans Memorial Tollway (19.9 mi) $1.39
Reagan Memorial Tollway (7.6 mi) $0.46

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Tolls

$2

Total

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.9 0 $4.50 $2.06
Efficient EV 10.7 0 $3.75 $1.72
EV Truck/SUV 17.2 0 $6.01 $2.75

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Schiller Park, IL

Late night in Schiller Park on Sunday

Local time

3:01 AM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Joliet, IL

Late night in Joliet on Sunday

Local time

3:01 AM

CDT

Current temp

69°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

2 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 2m 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?

Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" for this 1-hour trip, with a highway share of 40%. While you'll experience stretches on major tollways like the Veterans Memorial Tollway, the longest uninterrupted segment is 19.9 miles. The route is characterized by frequent turns and transitions between local roads and the tollway system. This means you'll be actively navigating for much of the drive, rather than settling into a long, monotonous highway cruise.

Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.9 mi on Veterans Memorial Tollway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 25th Avenue.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.9 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (25th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.1 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): 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.

Between Schiller Park, IL and Joliet, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).

Indiana

8.1 mi in | ~15m | via I 88; IL 110

22Nd Street (Cermak Road)

9.9 mi in | ~18m | via I 88; IL 110

About the Cities

Starting in Schiller Park, IL

Full guide →

Schiller Park is a Western Suburbs (Illinois) of Chicago, just southeast of O'Hare International Airport.

Arriving in Joliet, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1833

Joliet is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois, a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. It is the largest city and county seat of Will County.

Top landmarks

  • Joliet Union Station — former train station in the United States
  • Christ Episcopal Church — church building in Joliet, Illinois, United States of America
  • Joliet Central High School — public school in Joliet, Illinois

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 1h 2m. Total distance: 42.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 19.9 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.85 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans Memorial 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 Joliet, 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: near the start (25th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.1 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Joliet, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Schiller Park, IL or browse trips ending in Joliet, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.