St. Charles, IL to Quincy, IL is 275.6 miles and takes about 5h 28m via Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you across the heart of the Midwest, staying within Illinois for its entirety. Expect a straightforward drive that's well within the capabilities of a single day, making it a convenient option for a quick journey. The route is primarily composed of major expressways, so you can anticipate efficient travel times. Consider this route if you're looking for a no-fuss trip between these two Illinois cities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
137.8 miles from St. Charles, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 39m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
82.7 mi
1h 32m
IL 110
56.7 mi
1h 7m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
49.7 mi
53m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
38.9 mi
41m
Lincoln Highway
20.2 mi
28m
US 24
9.1 mi
13m
West Jackson Street
6.2 mi
10m
East Campbell Street
3.1 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
— 82.7 mi, about 1h 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between St. Charles, IL and Quincy, IL.
1
Start on IL 25
0.4 mi·56 sec·South 5th Avenue
2
Turn sharp right onto South Riverside Avenue
0.1 mi·22 sec·South Riverside Avenue
3
Turn left onto Prairie Street
1.7 mi·4 min·Prairie Street
4
Turn left onto CR 34
337 ft·13 sec·South Randall Road
5
Turn right onto IL 38
20 mi·28 min·Lincoln Highway
6
Turn left onto Peace Road
1.4 mi·2 min·Peace Road
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll: Moline Rock Island
8
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
50 mi·53 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 88; IL 110
1.1 mi·1 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
10
Continue on I 88; IL 110
38 mi·40 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Exit 41
11
Continue on I 88; IL 92; IL 110
5.4 mi·5 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
12
Take the exit onto IL 110
7.1 mi·8 min·IL 110
Toward I 80: Peoria
13
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 110
31 mi·33 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
14
Take the exit onto IL 110
50 mi·59 min·IL 110
Exit 46AToward US 34 West: Monmouth
15
Continue on US 67
1.2 mi·1 min·East 1200th Street
16
Continue on US 67
1.6 mi·2 min·North Lafayette Street
17
Turn right onto US 136
0.2 mi·26 sec·West Calhoun Street
18
Continue on US 136
398 ft·11 sec·North Johnson Street
19
Turn right onto US 136
6.2 mi·10 min·West Jackson Street
20
Continue on US 136
0.6 mi·50 sec·Macomb Street
21
Continue on US 136
0.6 mi·56 sec·East North Street
22
Continue on US 136
3.1 mi·4 min·East Campbell Street
23
Turn right onto US 136; IL 110; IL 336
46 mi·53 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
24
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward US 24: Mount Sterling, Keokuk
25
Turn right onto US 24
9.1 mi·13 min·US 24
26
Turn left onto Vermont Street
462 ft·25 sec·Vermont Street
27
Turn left onto US 24
343 ft·4 sec·North 4th Street
28
Turn right
71 ft·1 sec
29
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 28m duration, departing in the morning is your best bet to ensure you arrive with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in how you pace yourself, but consider a break around the halfway point to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longest stretch of 82.7 miles on the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, as services can sometimes be spaced out on major routes. The fuel cost is estimated at $43, so budget accordingly. For this 275.6-mile trip, you should have no issue completing it in one day.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 137.8 miles from St. Charles, IL, or about 2h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 61 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 137.8 miles or 2h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Quincy, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving St. Charles, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from St. Charles, IL
This is one driving day of about 275.6 miles and 5h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from St. Charles, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway for about 82.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 265.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|South Riverside Avenue
Turn sharp right onto South Riverside Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
23.9 mi into trip|~36m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll: Moline Rock Island
Navigation decision point
Toward I 88 West Toll: Moline Rock Island
5
24.2 mi into trip|~37m in|I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
156.6 mi into trip|~2h 59m in|IL 110
Take the exit onto IL 110 toward US 34 West: Monmouth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 46A
Toward US 34 West: Monmouth
5
265.8 mi into trip|~5h 13m in
Take the exit toward US 24: Mount Sterling, Keokuk
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 24: Mount Sterling, Keokuk
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.09 one way
$86.17 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$47.31
$94.62
premium
$4.89
$53.04
$106.07
diesel
$5.61
$60.85
$121.70
Estimated Tolls: $2.98
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(49.7 mi)$2.98
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Tolls
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.7
1
$28.94
$13.23
Efficient EV
68.9
0
$24.12
$11.02
EV Truck/SUV
110.2
1
$38.58
$17.64
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 20, 2026
Origin
St. Charles, IL
Late night
in St. Charles on Tuesday
Local time
3:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Quincy, IL
Late night
in Quincy on Tuesday
Local time
3:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
66°F
Burgess, IL
138 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
3 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
5h 28m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive offers a mixed experience, with 54% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches of the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, including one continuous segment of 82.7 miles, providing ample opportunity for steady progress. The drive will feel largely like an interstate experience, designed for efficient travel. While primarily highway, the overall profile suggests a drive that balances speed with the practicalities of reaching your destination without feeling like a relentless grind. Keep an eye out for transitions as you move between different sections of the primary roads.
54% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 82.7 mi on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near South Riverside Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 28m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (South Riverside Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 23.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 24.2 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 82.7 miles on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.98 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan 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.
Yes — we found about 11 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 11 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (South Riverside Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 23.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 24.2 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 10.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Quincy, IL before the return drive.
