Origin
Woodridge, IL
Late night in Woodridge on Tuesday
Local time
3:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Woodridge, IL to Palatine, 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
39m
Distance
28.1 mi
45 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 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Woodridge, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 28.1-mile journey from Woodridge, IL, to Palatine, IL, is a straightforward drive that takes about 39 minutes. It's designed as a single-day trip, so no overnight stays are necessary. You'll primarily use Veterans Memorial Tollway and I-290, with a smaller portion on IL 53. The estimated fuel cost is around $4, making it an economical option for local travel within the Midwest. This route offers a practical way to navigate between these two Illinois communities without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| IL 53 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Hicks Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| 75th Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Northwest Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Woodridge Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Kirchoff Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 16.2 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Woodridge, IL and Palatine, IL.
1
Start on Woodridge Drive
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Woodridge Drive
2
Turn right onto 75th Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
75th Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 355
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward Kirchoff Road
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto Kirchoff Road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kirchoff Road
9
Turn right onto West Frontage Road
400 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Frontage Road
10
Continue on Hicks Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Hicks Road
11
Turn left onto US 14
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
East Northwest Highway
12
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
73 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
East Palatine Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 28.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
75th Street
Turn right onto 75th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn left toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
6
23.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
25.7 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward Kirchoff Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Kirchoff Road
6
28.1 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
East Palatine Road
Turn left onto East Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.39 one way
$8.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.82 | $9.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.41 | $10.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.20 | $12.41 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.13
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(16.2 mi)
$1.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.95 | $1.35 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.93 | $1.80 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Palatine, IL
Late night in Palatine on Tuesday
Local time
3:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
39m 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 route that leans heavily on local roads, with a highway share of 28%. While you'll experience some interstate driving, including a longest stretch of 16.2 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway, the overall profile is 'turn-heavy.' This means you'll be navigating more intersections and changes in direction compared to a pure highway cruise. The drive will likely involve a mix of faster highway segments and slower, more controlled local road sections as you approach your destination.
Only 28% 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: 16.2 mi on Veterans Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near 75th Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 28.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (75th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.5 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Woodridge, IL
Full guide →Arriving in Palatine, IL
Full guide →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 39m. Total distance: 28.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.2 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.13 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans 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 1 rest area or service plaza 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.
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 Palatine, 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 0.2 miles (75th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.5 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Palatine, 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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