Sumner, IL to Chicago, IL is 256.8 miles and takes about 5h 17m via I 57 and IL 33, with a fuel budget near $40 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, entirely within Illinois, making for a straightforward drive. Given its mostly highway profile and single recommended day, it's a good option for a quick trip up north. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates before transitioning to surface streets closer to your destination.
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
128.4 miles from Sumner, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
168.6 mi
3h 5m
IL 33
36.3 mi
53m
South Van Buren Street
11 mi
15m
1100N
10 mi
13m
County Road 1100 East
6.7 mi
9m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
6.2 mi
8m
Illinois Route 16
5.3 mi
7m
Dan Ryan Expressway
3.3 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 168.6 mi, about 3h 5m
Traffic on I-57
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~865 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~101 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 5 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sumner, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on West North Avenue
49 ft·7 sec·West North Avenue
2
Turn left onto North Christy Avenue
473 ft·14 sec·North Christy Avenue
3
Turn left onto IL 250
1.1 mi·1 min·IL 250
4
Turn right onto IL 250
95 ft·7 sec·IL 250
5
Turn left onto US 50; IL 250
10.0 mi·13 min·1100N
6
Turn right onto East Main Street
1.1 mi·2 min·East Main Street
7
Turn right onto North Lincoln Avenue
481 ft·18 sec·North Lincoln Avenue
8
Turn left onto East Butler Street
1.3 mi·3 min·East Butler Street
9
Turn right onto IL 130
1.3 mi·2 min·North West Street
10
Continue on IL 130
6.7 mi·9 min·County Road 1100 East
11
Continue on IL 130
11 mi·15 min·South Van Buren Street
12
Turn right onto IL 33; IL 130
36 mi·53 min·IL 33; IL 130
13
Turn left onto IL 16
2.5 mi·4 min·Lincoln Avenue
14
Continue on IL 16
5.3 mi·7 min·Illinois Route 16
15
Continue on IL 16
0.4 mi·38 sec·Charleston Avenue East
16
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I-57 North: Champaign
17
Merge onto I 57
169 mi·3 hr 5 min·I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on I 94
3.3 mi·4 min·Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.2 mi·8 min·Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 53AToward Canalport Avenue, Cermak RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn slight left onto South Ruble Street
243 ft·6 sec·South Ruble Street
22
Turn slight left
75 ft·4 sec
23
Turn left onto South Canalport Avenue
0.2 mi·26 sec·South Canalport Avenue
24
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi·18 sec·South Halsted Street
25
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi·24 sec·West Cermak Road
26
Turn left
152 ft·11 sec
27
Turn right
0.2 mi·58 sec
28
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from Sumner to avoid potential afternoon traffic entering Chicago. With only one recommended day, you can comfortably complete this trip without needing an overnight stay. There's a single recommended stop, so plan your breaks strategically along I 57. Keep your fuel tank topped off, especially before leaving the interstate system, as services can become more spread out on the final surface street segments. Paying attention to local traffic patterns as you enter the Chicago metropolitan area will be your most important on-the-ground tip.
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 128.4 miles from Sumner, IL, or about 2h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 168.6 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 56 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128.4 miles or 2h 51m 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 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chicago, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sumner, 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 Sumner, IL
This is one driving day of about 256.8 miles and 5h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Sumner, 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 I 57 for about 168.6 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 255.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North Christy Avenue
Turn left onto North Christy Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|US 50; IL 250 / 1100N
Turn left onto US 50; IL 250 / 1100N
Navigation decision point
5
77.6 mi into trip|~1h 55m in|I 57
Merge onto I 57
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
249.6 mi into trip|~5h 5m in|I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...
8
255.8 mi into trip|~5h 14m in
Take the exit toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
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 53A
Toward Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.92 one way
$75.85 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg90 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$41.87
$83.73
premium
$4.72
$47.68
$95.36
diesel
$4.80
$48.49
$96.98
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
77
0
$26.96
$12.33
Efficient EV
64.2
0
$22.47
$10.27
EV Truck/SUV
102.7
1
$35.95
$16.44
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Sumner, IL
Evening
in Sumner on Monday
Local time
7:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Partly Cloudy
WSW 6 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 3:50AM CDT until July 19 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:04AM CDT until July 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
Chicago, IL
Evening
in Chicago on Monday
Local time
7:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Cloudy
WSW 10 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 3:50AM CDT until July 19 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:04AM CDT until July 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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 17m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
4 mi from route
~9 min detour
Free
near mile 247.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a high highway percentage at 86%, meaning you'll be on major roads for most of the trip. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 168.6 miles on I 57. Expect to transition from the interstate to surface roads, specifically IL 33 and South Van Buren Street, as you approach Chicago. Keep an eye out for increased traffic and more frequent exits as you get closer to the city.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 168.6 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and IL 33. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Christy 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 17m drive. You will face about 18 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Christy Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (US 50; IL 250 / 1100N): Navigation decision point; at 77.6 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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
The longest stretch is about 168.6 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 25 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 25 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Christy Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (US 50; IL 250 / 1100N): Navigation decision point; at 77.6 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Chicago, IL before the return drive.
