Origin
Wood Dale, IL
Afternoon in Wood Dale on Sunday
Local time
2:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wood Dale, IL to Chicago, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
24 mi
39 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wood Dale, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Wood Dale to Chicago, you are looking at a brief 24-mile journey that typically takes about 36 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning there is no need to worry about overnight logistics. You can expect to spend approximately $4 on fuel for the entire distance, making it an incredibly budget-friendly commute. Since both your origin and destination are located within the Midwest, the transition between these two points is seamless. This route is ideal for travelers who want a quick, straightforward connection between the suburbs and the city without any unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 17.5 mi | 24m |
| North Wood Dale Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Lake Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Cermak Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Union Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Halsted Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Canalport Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 17.5 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wood Dale, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on IL 19
31 ft
·
3 sec
·
Irving Park Road
2
Turn right onto North Wood Dale Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
North Wood Dale Road
Use the right lane.
3
Turn left onto US 20
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Lake Street
4
Take the ramp onto US 20
17 mi
·
24 min
·
US 20
Toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
7
Merge onto I 90; I 94
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
10
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
11
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
12
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
13
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
14
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23 — 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 Wood Dale Road
Turn right onto North Wood Dale Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
4.4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 20
Take the ramp onto US 20 toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago
5
21.9 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor St...
7
22 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
7
23 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward 18th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.75 one way
$7.50 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.12 | $8.24 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.62 | $9.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.30 | $10.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Chicago, IL
Afternoon in Chicago on Sunday
Local time
2:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
98% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
25 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
36m 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 24-mile path is defined by its turn-heavy, local nature rather than high-speed interstate travel. You will find that highway driving accounts for 0% of this trip, as the route relies entirely on local roads to move you toward your destination. Because there are no designated long, uninterrupted stretches, you should be prepared for frequent turns and a more hands-on driving experience. Navigating these local roads requires your full attention, providing a distinct contrast to the monotonous, straight-line driving found on major highways. Expect the environment to shift steadily as you transition from the suburban setting of Wood Dale into the heart of Chicago.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on US 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and North Wood Dale Road. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Wood Dale Road.
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 24 miles you will encounter 12 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 (North Wood Dale Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (US 20): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Wood Dale, IL
Full guide →Founded 1928
Wood Dale is a city in the Chicagoland region in Illinois.
Arriving in Chicago, IL
Full guide →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
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 36m. Total distance: 24 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m 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 17.5 miles on US 20. 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 Chicago, 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 (North Wood Dale Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (US 20): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Chicago, 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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