Origin
Arlington Heights, IL
Afternoon in Arlington Heights on Thursday
Local time
12:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington Heights, IL to Carbondale, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
6h 40m
Distance
352.1 mi
567 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$55
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 29m
★
6 AM
6h 41m
8 AM
7h 5m
10 AM
6h 49m
12 PM
6h 47m
3 PM
6h 50m
5 PM
7h 3m
8 PM
6h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Carbondale, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Arlington Heights, IL to Carbondale, IL covers 352.1 miles and takes about 6h 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Arlington Heights Road, I 90 East, Jane Addams Memorial Tollway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $55.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
176.1 miles from Arlington Heights, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 20m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 40m. Total distance: 352.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 40m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 40m drive with frequent turns across 352.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Arlington Heights Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 40m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Arlington Heights, IL to Carbondale, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Arlington Heights Road | — | — |
| I 90 East | — | — |
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | — | — |
| I 294 | — | — |
| Tri-State Tollway | — | — |
| Mile-Long Bridge | — | — |
| IL 50 South | — | — |
| Cicero Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Arlington Heights Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington Heights, IL and Carbondale, IL.
1
Start on East Euclid Avenue
49 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Euclid Avenue
2
Turn right onto North Arlington Heights Road
3.3 mi
·
6 min
·
North Arlington Heights Road
3
Take the ramp slight right toward I 90 East: Chicago
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
I 90 East: Chicago
4
Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
5
Take the exit slight right toward I 294 Toll South, I 190 West: Indiana, O'Hare
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
I 294 Toll South, I 190 West: Indiana, O'Hare
6
Keep slight left to continue on I 294 Toll South: Indiana
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 294 Toll South: Indiana
7
Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
8
Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
9
Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
10
Continue on Mile-Long Bridge
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mile-Long Bridge
11
Continue on Tri-State Tollway
8.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
12
Take the exit slight right toward IL 50 South, IL 83: Cicero Avenue, 127th Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
IL 50 South, IL 83: Cicero Avenue, 127th Street
13
Keep slight left to continue on IL 50 South: Cicero Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 50 South: Cicero Avenue
14
Turn straight onto Cicero Avenue
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Cicero Avenue
15
Turn left onto 167th Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
167th Street
16
Take the ramp slight right toward I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80
17
Merge slight left
188 mi
·
3 hr 23 min
18
Keep slight left to continue on I 57 South: Memphis
66 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
I 57 South: Memphis
19
Keep slight right to continue on Ken Gray Expressway
37 mi
·
40 min
·
Ken Gray Expressway
20
Take the exit slight right toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
21
Keep slight left to continue on IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
22
Keep slight right to continue on IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
23
Merge slight left onto West Deyoung Street
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
West Deyoung Street
24
Continue on IL-13
11 mi
·
16 min
·
IL-13
25
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 176.1 miles from Arlington Heights, IL, or about 3h 20m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 77 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 176.1 miles or 3h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Carbondale, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Arlington Heights, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Arlington Heights, IL
This is one driving day of about 352.1 miles and 6h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 77 miles from Arlington Heights, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 176.1 mi from Arlington Heights, IL · 3h 20m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
176 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 77 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 176.1 miles from Arlington Heights, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Carbondale, IL
The final approach into Carbondale, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Carbondale, IL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$55.05 one way
$110.09 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
123 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $60.44 | $120.88 |
| premium | $4.89 | $67.76 | $135.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $77.74 | $155.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$55
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$80–$105
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 123.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 105.6 | 1 | $36.97 | $16.90 |
| Efficient EV | 88 | 1 | $30.81 | $14.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 140.8 | 1 | $49.29 | $22.53 |
Gas CO2
123 kg
EV CO2
41 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Carbondale, IL
Afternoon in Carbondale on Thursday
Local time
12:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
6 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
6h 40m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arlington Heights, IL to Carbondale, IL covers 352.1 miles and takes about 6h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Arlington Heights Road, I 90 East, Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 176.1 miles from Arlington Heights, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $55.05 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 40m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Arlington Heights, IL to Carbondale, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Arlington Heights, IL to Carbondale, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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Return Trip
Carbondale, IL to Arlington Heights, ILPlan the drive back the other way.
354.5 mi
6h 42m
Continue From Carbondale, IL
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