Origin
Zion, IL
Night in Zion on Saturday
Local time
11:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Zion, 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
1h 8m
Distance
48.6 mi
78 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Zion, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head south from Zion to Chicago, you are looking at a manageable 48.6-mile trip that typically takes about 1 hour and 8 minutes. Since this journey stays entirely within the Midwest, you will find the transition between these Illinois points straightforward. With a fuel cost estimate of just $7, it is an incredibly budget-friendly excursion that works perfectly as a single-day trip. You will spend your time navigating a mix of the North Skokie Highway, the Edens Expressway, and the Kennedy Expressway. Because the duration is so short, there is no need for an overnight stay, giving you plenty of flexibility to plan your schedule around city traffic rather than travel fatigue.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edens Expressway | 13.7 mi | 17m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| North Skokie Highway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| IL 137 | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Sheridan Road | 4.3 mi | 8m |
| Skokie Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Skokie Valley Road | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Buckley Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 13.7 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Zion, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on 27th Street
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
27th Street
2
Turn right onto IL 137
4.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Sheridan Road
3
Turn left onto IL 137
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Greenwood Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp onto IL 137
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
IL 137
Toward IL 137
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto IL 137
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Buckley Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto US 41
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North Skokie Highway
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
8
Continue on US 41
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 94; US 41
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Continue on I 90; I 94
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
14
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
15
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
16
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
17
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
18
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from Zion, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 47.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 137 / Sheridan Road
Turn right onto IL 137 / Sheridan Road
Navigation decision point
4
4.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
IL 137 / West Greenwood Avenue
Turn left onto IL 137 / West Greenwood Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
IL 137
Take the ramp onto IL 137 toward IL 137
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward IL 137
6
10.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
IL 137 / Buckley Road
Turn right onto IL 137 / Buckley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
47.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m 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
$7.60 one way
$15.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.34 | $16.68 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.35 | $18.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.73 | $21.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.25 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.80 | $3.11 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Chicago, IL
Night in Chicago on Saturday
Local time
11:34 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
15 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 8m 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 route offers a distinct mixed-drive profile that transitions from suburban corridors into the denser flow of the city. You will spend 58% of your time on highways, providing a consistent pace for the majority of the journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 13.7-mile segment on the Edens Expressway, which serves as the primary artery for your progress. Expect the personality of the road to shift as you leave the quieter stretches of Zion and merge onto the busier Kennedy Expressway. It is a functional, efficient drive that prioritizes speed and directness over scenic detours.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 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?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near IL 137 / Sheridan 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 48.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.4 miles (IL 137 / Sheridan Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (IL 137 / West Greenwood Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (IL 137): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
678 ft
579 ft
Total Climb
96 ft
Total Descent
155 ft
Highest Point
678 ft
~17.4 mi in
Elevation Range
99 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Zion, IL
Full guide →Founded 1901
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 1h 8m. Total distance: 48.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). 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.
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: at 0.4 miles (IL 137 / Sheridan Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (IL 137 / West Greenwood Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (IL 137): Lane positioning matters here.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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