Origin
Aurora, IL
Evening in Aurora on Friday
Local time
7:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, IL to Kingston, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
43.2 mi
70 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Kingston, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
Aurora, IL to Kingston, IL is 43.2 miles and takes about 57 minutes via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest region, specifically Illinois, offering a straightforward trip. It's a short, local-feeling journey that can easily be completed in a single day. Given the short duration, it’s ideal for a quick excursion or a component of a larger Midwest road trip.
About the Cities
Starting in Aurora, IL
Full guide →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.
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 57m. Total distance: 43.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This route is characterized by a turn-heavy local drive, with a highway share of just 25%. While you’ll experience a 25-mile stretch on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, much of the journey involves navigating local roads. Expect a mix of faster highway segments and more winding, potentially slower, local road driving as you approach your destination. The landscape is likely to shift from more urban-adjacent areas to the more rural feel typical of the Midwest.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 25 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 31 / North Lake Street.
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 43.2 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles (IL 56): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 31 / North Lake Street
Turn left onto IL 31 / North Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
2.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago...
8
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
IL 56
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 56 toward I 88 West, IL 56 West: DeKalb-Iowa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 88 West, IL 56 West: DeKalb-Iowa
8
6.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 Toll West, IL 47: DeKalb
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 88 Toll West, IL 47: DeKalb
5
28.3 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward DeKalb, Annie Glidden Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward DeKalb, Annie Glidden Road
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Aurora, IL and Kingston, IL, road signs point toward Dekalb-Iowa and Dekalb.
Dekalb-Iowa
2.6 mi in
|
~4m
Dekalb
28.3 mi in
|
~33m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 25 mi | 27m |
| Glidden Road | 9.7 mi | 14m |
| South Annie Glidden Road | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| IL 72 | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| IL 56 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Galena Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 25 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and Kingston, IL.
1
Start on West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
2
Turn left onto IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on South Lincolnway Street
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
4
Take the ramp
387 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa
Use the left lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 56
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 56
Toward I 88 West, IL 56 West: DeKalb-Iowa
Use the straight lane.
6
Merge onto I 88; IL 56; IL 110
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110
22 mi
·
23 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Toward I 88 Toll West, IL 47: DeKalb
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Toward DeKalb, Annie Glidden Road
9
Continue on South Annie Glidden Road
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
South Annie Glidden Road
10
Continue on CH 5
9.7 mi
·
14 min
·
Glidden Road
11
Turn right onto IL 72
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
IL 72
12
Turn right onto Main Street
69 ft
·
3 sec
·
Main Street
13
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.6 mi from Aurora, IL · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.6 miles from Aurora, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Kingston, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Kingston, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.75 one way
$13.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.42 | $14.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.31 | $16.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.54 | $19.08 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.51
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(25 mi)
$1.51
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13 | 0 | $4.54 | $2.07 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.05 | $2.76 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Kingston, IL
Evening in Kingston on Friday
Local time
7:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
57m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Aurora, IL to Kingston, IL covers 43.2 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Glidden Road, South Annie Glidden Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.6 miles from Aurora, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.75 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.2 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles (IL 56): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Aurora, IL and Kingston, IL, road signs point toward Dekalb-Iowa and Dekalb.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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.
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