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Trip from Vernon Hills, IL to Calumet City, 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 21m

Distance

58.2 mi

94 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 15m ★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Vernon Hills, IL, IL

Vernon Hills, IL

Chris Flaten

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Calumet City, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Vernon Hills to Calumet City is 58.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via Edens Expressway, Dan Ryan Expressway (Express), and Bishop Ford Freeway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, connecting two points without significant changes in scenery or terrain. It's a straightforward drive primarily on major expressways, making it a practical choice when you need to get from one area to another efficiently. Consider this route for its directness and predictable travel time, ideal for a day trip or a quick commute.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Edens Expressway 13.7 mi 17m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) 8.8 mi 11m
Bishop Ford Freeway 8.5 mi 11m
Kennedy Expressway 8.1 mi 11m
Edens Spur 4.8 mi 5m
Tri-State Tollway 2.9 mi 3m
Sibley Boulevard 2.6 mi 4m
Dan Ryan Expressway 2.4 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Edens Expressway — 13.7 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Vernon Hills, IL and Calumet City, IL.

1

Start on Oakwood Road

35 ft · 6 sec · Oakwood Road
2

Turn left onto Westmoreland Drive

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Westmoreland Drive
3

Turn right onto Cherry Valley Road

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Cherry Valley Road
4

Turn right onto Camden Place

0.2 mi · 53 sec · Camden Place
5

Turn left onto Evergreen Drive

0.2 mi · 1 min · Evergreen Drive
6

At end of road, turn right onto US 45

2.4 mi · 3 min · US 45
Use the left lane.
7

Continue on Olde Half Day Road

0.4 mi · 50 sec · Olde Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
8

At end of road, turn left onto IL 22

1.8 mi · 2 min · West Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
9

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Toward I 94 East Toll: Indiana
10

Merge onto I 94

2.9 mi · 3 min · Tri-State Tollway
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

4.8 mi · 5 min · Edens Spur
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago Use the slight left lane.
12

Continue on I 94; US 41

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on I 90; I 94

8.1 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14

Continue on I 90; I 94

2.4 mi · 2 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94

8.8 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

8.5 mi · 11 min · Bishop Ford Freeway
Toward I 94 East: Indiana Use the slight left lane.
17

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 71B Toward IL 83 South: East Sibley Boulevard Use the right lane.
18

Turn straight onto Sibley Boulevard

2.6 mi · 4 min · Sibley Boulevard
19

Turn right onto Wentworth Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · Wentworth Avenue
20

Turn left onto Pulaski Road

114 ft · 3 sec · Pulaski Road
21

Arrive at destination

Pulaski Road

Where to Stop

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

Downtown chicago-il

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chicago, IL

29 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

Chicago, IL to Calumet City, IL

22.1 mi · 33m

Pacing Suggestions

Northbrook, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Oak Park, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Vernon Hills, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 55 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.7 mi into trip | ~3m in | US 45

At end of road, turn right onto US 45

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
8.6 mi into trip | ~14m in | I 94 / Edens Spur

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Edens Spur toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
8
37.7 mi into trip | ~51m in | I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
7
46.5 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in | I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway toward I 94 East: Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 94 East: Indiana
7
55 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in

Take the exit toward IL 83 South: East Sibley Boulevard

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

Use the right lane. Exit 71B Toward IL 83 South: East Sibley Boulevard

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.10 one way

$18.20 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.99 $19.98
premium $4.89 $11.20 $22.40
diesel $5.61 $12.85 $25.70

Estimated Tolls: $0.18

Tri-state Tollway (2.9 mi) $0.18

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$0

Total

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.5 0 $6.11 $2.79
Efficient EV 14.6 0 $5.09 $2.33
EV Truck/SUV 23.3 0 $8.15 $3.72

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Vernon Hills, IL

Late night in Vernon Hills on Sunday

Local time

5:29 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 25 mph 24% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 5:21PM CDT until April 17 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Tornado Warning

Tornado Warning issued April 17 at 5:17PM CDT until April 17 at 6:15PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Destination

Calumet City, IL

Late night in Calumet City on Sunday

Local time

5:29 AM

CDT

Current temp

66°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

13 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

1h 21m 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 drive is heavily focused on highways, with 76% of the journey utilizing expressways. You'll experience a predominantly high-speed environment, including a significant stretch of 13.7 miles on the Edens Expressway without interruption. The character is that of a modern urban expressway system, designed for brisk travel. Expect the road to remain consistent in its highway profile for the majority of the trip, offering a direct and efficient path.

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: 13.7 mi on Edens Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Edens Expressway and Dan Ryan Expressway (Express). This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near US 45.

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 58.2 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 0.7 miles (US 45): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.7 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 58.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 21m 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 13.7 miles on Edens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.18 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state 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 Calumet City, 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 0.7 miles (US 45): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.7 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Calumet City, 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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