Trip from Aurora, IL to Richmond, IL

Data updated 4 hours ago

Drive Time

2h 58m

Distance

138.2 mi

222 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$22

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min

4 AM

2h 47m ★

6 AM

2h 58m

8 AM

3h 21m

10 AM

3h 6m

12 PM

3h 4m

3 PM

3h 7m

5 PM

3h 19m

8 PM

2h 51m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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city on tripoints of DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties in Illinois, United States

Aurora, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Richmond, IL

Kelly

Trip Overview

The drive from Aurora, IL to Richmond, IL covers 138.2 miles and takes about 2h 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 55, IL 47, East 200 North Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 74.6 miles on I 55. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.61 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

69.1 miles from Aurora, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 27m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 2h 58m highway drive covering 138.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 55 and IL 47. The longest continuous stretch is about 74.6 miles on I 55.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 55 is the longest continuous segment at about 74.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and IL 47. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 31 / South Lake Street.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 138.2 miles you will encounter 16 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 / South Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles (IL 126 / East Schoolhouse Road): Navigation decision point; at 18 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | IL 31 / South Lake Street

Turn right onto IL 31 / South Lake Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

12.2 mi into trip | ~20m in | IL 126 / East Schoolhouse Road

At end of road, turn right onto IL 126 / East Schoolhouse Road

Navigation decision point

18 mi into trip | ~28m in

Turn left

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

48.6 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in

Take the exit toward I 55 South: Bloomington

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward I 55 South: Bloomington

111.4 mi into trip | ~2h 12m in | I 55

Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield

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 Richmond, IL, road signs point toward Springfield and Heyworth.

Springfield

111.4 mi in | ~2h 12m | via I 55

Heyworth

123.6 mi in | ~2h 26m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 55	74.6 mi	1h 19m
IL 47	22.1 mi	25m
East 200 North Road	6.8 mi	9m
South Lake Street	5.9 mi	9m
Minkler Road	4.3 mi	6m
Ashley Road	3.8 mi	5m
Armington Road	3.2 mi	7m
Caton Farm Road	1.5 mi	2m

Longest stretch: I 55 — 74.6 mi, about 1h 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and Richmond, IL.

Start on West Galena Boulevard

0.1 mi · 15 sec · West Galena Boulevard

Turn right onto IL 31

5.9 mi · 9 min · South Lake Street

Use the right lane.

Continue on US 34

1.2 mi · 2 min · US 34

Turn left onto Orchard Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Orchard Road

Use the left lane.

Continue on Minkler Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Minkler Road

Enter roundabout onto Minkler Road

128 ft · 3 sec · Minkler Road

Continue on Minkler Road

3.4 mi · 5 min · Minkler Road

At end of road, turn right onto IL 126

0.5 mi · 47 sec · East Schoolhouse Road

Turn left onto Ashley Road

3.8 mi · 5 min · Ashley Road

Turn right onto Caton Farm Road

1.5 mi · 2 min · Caton Farm Road

Turn left

7.2 mi · 9 min

Use the straight lane.

Continue on North Bridge Street

1.3 mi · 1 min · North Bridge Street

Continue on IL 47

22 mi · 25 min · IL 47

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 45 sec

Toward I 55 South: Bloomington

Merge onto I 55

62 mi · 1 hr 6 min · I 55

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 55

12 mi · 13 min · I 55

Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min

Toward US 136: McLean, Heyworth

Turn right onto Dixie Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Dixie Road

Continue on US 136

6.8 mi · 9 min · East 200 North Road

Turn right onto Armington Road

2.0 mi · 4 min · Armington Road

Turn left onto East 3rd Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · East 3rd Street

Continue on Armington Road

1.2 mi · 2 min · Armington Road

Turn right onto Grove Road

1.5 mi · 5 min · Grove Road

Turn left onto Center Road

0.9 mi · 3 min · Center Road

Arrive at destination

Center Road

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 69.1 miles from Aurora, IL, or about 1h 27m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 74.6 miles.

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 80 miles or 1h 39m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 69.1 miles or 1h 27m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 15m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Richmond, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Aurora, 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 Aurora, IL

This is one driving day of about 138.2 miles and 2h 58m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Aurora, 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.

The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 74.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 69.1 mi from Aurora, IL · 1h 27m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Joliet, IL

69 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

Normal, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Normal, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 69.1 miles from Aurora, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 55 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 74.6 miles.

Arriving in Richmond, IL

The final approach into Richmond, 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 Richmond, 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

$21.61 one way

$43.21 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$23.72	$47.45
premium	$4.89	$26.60	$53.19
diesel	$5.61	$30.51	$61.03

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$22

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$47–$72

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 48.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	41.5	$14.51	$6.63
Efficient EV	34.6	$12.09	$5.53
EV Truck/SUV	55.3	$19.35	$8.84

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 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.

Forecast data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Aurora, IL

Night in Aurora on Tuesday

Local time

10:48 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Richmond, IL

Night in Richmond on Tuesday

Local time

10:48 PM

CDT

Current temp

55°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

9 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

2h 58m 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 Richmond, IL covers 138.2 miles and takes about 2h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 55, IL 47, East 200 North Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 69.1 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 $21.61 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.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.