Origin
West Chicago, IL
Late night in West Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
4:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Chicago, IL to Aurora, 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
25m
Distance
13.7 mi
22 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Chicago, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between West Chicago and Aurora, this 15.9-mile journey is a straightforward commute across the Illinois landscape. You can easily complete the trip in about 26 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day outing. With a fuel budget of just $2, the drive is incredibly economical for those sticking to a strict travel plan. Since you will be navigating entirely within the Midwest, the environment remains familiar and consistent throughout. Because the route requires no formal stops, you have the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection that gets you from point A to point B without any unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Kirk Road | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Fabyan Parkway | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Mitchell Road | 2.3 mi | 5m |
| East Washington Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Butterfield Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Broadway | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Aurora Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East New York Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Kirk Road
— 3.9 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Chicago, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on this road
41 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
49 ft
·
9 sec
3
Turn left onto East Washington Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
East Washington Street
4
Continue on CR 21
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Fabyan Parkway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto CR 77
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
North Kirk Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto IL 56
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Butterfield Road
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left onto Mitchell Road
2.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Mitchell Road
Use the left lane.
8
At end of road, turn left onto IL 25
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Aurora Avenue
9
Continue on IL 25
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broadway
10
Turn right onto East New York Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
East New York Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left onto IL 31
417 ft
·
14 sec
·
North Lake Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
13
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.5 — 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
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
8.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
IL 56 / Butterfield Road
Turn right onto IL 56 / Butterfield Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Mitchell Road
Turn left onto Mitchell Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
13.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
East New York Street
Turn right onto East New York Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
13.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
IL 31 / North Lake Street
Turn left onto IL 31 / North Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.14 one way
$4.28 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.35 | $4.70 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.64 | $5.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.02 | $6.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
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
Aurora, IL
Late night in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
4:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
25m 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 rather than a high-speed interstate haul, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate primarily via East Washington Street, Fabyan Parkway, and North Kirk Road, which keeps the experience focused on local traffic patterns. There is no long-distance cruising here, evidenced by the fact that your longest stretch on any single road is zero miles on East Washington Street. The personality of this drive is strictly functional, requiring your full attention as you navigate multiple turns through the local infrastructure. Prepare for a steady, hands-on experience behind the wheel that prioritizes local connectivity over open-road speed.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.9 mi on North Kirk Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 13.7 miles you will encounter 9 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: Navigation decision point; at 8.1 miles (IL 56 / Butterfield Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles (Mitchell Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Aurora, IL
Full guide →Founded 1835
Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.
Top landmarks
- • Aurora University — private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S
- • Hotel Arthur — United States historic place
- • Graham Building — historic building in Aurora, 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 25m. Total distance: 13.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m 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 3.9 miles on North Kirk Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Aurora, 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: Navigation decision point; at 8.1 miles (IL 56 / Butterfield Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles (Mitchell Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Aurora, 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
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Aurora, IL
More trips to Aurora, IL
Explore more options from West Chicago, IL or browse trips ending in Aurora, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.