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Trip from Buffalo Grove, IL to Naperville, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

50m

Distance

33.8 mi

54 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 46m ★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m

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

village in Cook and Lake counties, Illinois, United States

Buffalo Grove, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 33.8-mile drive from Buffalo Grove, IL, to Naperville, IL, is easily manageable within a single day, taking approximately 50 minutes. Primarily utilizing I-355 and IL-53, with a portion on East Ogden Avenue, this route is a highway-focused journey through the Midwest. With an estimated fuel cost of $5, it's an economical option for a quick trip. The short distance and efficient roadways make it ideal for a day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule without the need for an overnight stay. You'll find this drive to be a practical way to connect two Illinois communities.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 33.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

50m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a highway-dominated experience on this 33.8-mile route, with 68% of the drive on interstates and major roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 12.8 miles on I-355, offering a consistent pace. While primarily a highway drive, segments on IL-53 and East Ogden Avenue will introduce more local traffic and varied speed limits. This isn't a route for scenic overlooks, but rather a functional path designed for efficient travel between Buffalo Grove and Naperville.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 355 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 355 and IL 53. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in near North Arlington Heights Road.

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 11 decision points packed into just 33.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles (North Arlington Heights Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (I 355): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

5
2.8 mi into trip | ~5m in | North Arlington Heights Road

Turn left onto North Arlington Heights Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
8
8.5 mi into trip | ~14m in | IL 53

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53 toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
8
15.5 mi into trip | ~23m in | I 355

Keep slight left at fork onto I 355 toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 7 Toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
7
28.4 mi into trip | ~39m in

Take the exit toward US 34: Ogden Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 19 Toward US 34: Ogden Avenue
6
28.8 mi into trip | ~40m in

Turn right toward Lisle

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward Lisle

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Buffalo Grove, IL to Naperville, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Lisle along the way.

Lisle

28.8 mi in | ~40m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 355 12.8 mi 16m
IL 53 10.2 mi 13m
East Ogden Avenue 5 mi 10m
South Buffalo Grove Road 2.1 mi 4m
Palatine Road 1.2 mi 1m
North Arlington Heights Road 1 mi 1m
East Hintz Road 0.7 mi 1m
Aptakisic Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 355 — 12.8 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Buffalo Grove, IL and Naperville, IL.

1

Start on Aptakisic Road

60 ft · 4 sec · Aptakisic Road
2

Turn left onto South Buffalo Grove Road

2.1 mi · 4 min · South Buffalo Grove Road
Use the left lane.
3

Turn right onto East Hintz Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Hintz Road
4

Turn left onto North Arlington Heights Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Arlington Heights Road
Use the left lane.
5

Turn right onto Palatine Road

1.2 mi · 1 min · Palatine Road
Use the right lane.
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Toward IL 53 South
7

Merge onto IL 53

3.2 mi · 4 min · IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53

7.0 mi · 9 min · IL 53
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 355

13 mi · 16 min · I 355
Exit 7 Toward I 355 South Tollway: Joliet Use the slight left lane.
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 56 sec
Exit 19 Toward US 34: Ogden Avenue Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn right

154 ft · 5 sec
Toward Lisle Use the right lane.
12

Turn straight onto US 34

5.0 mi · 10 min · East Ogden Avenue
13

Turn right onto North Washington Street

50 ft · 1 sec · North Washington Street
14

Arrive at destination

North Washington Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 16.9 mi from Buffalo Grove, IL · 24m into the drive

town in DuPage County, Illinois, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Glen Ellyn, IL

17 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

Warrenville, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 33.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bloomingdale, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 16.9 miles from Buffalo Grove, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Naperville, IL

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Naperville, 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

$5.28 one way

$10.57 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $5.80 $11.60
premium $4.89 $6.50 $13.01
diesel $5.61 $7.46 $14.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.1 0 $3.55 $1.62
Efficient EV 8.5 0 $2.96 $1.35
EV Truck/SUV 13.5 0 $4.73 $2.16

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Buffalo Grove, IL

Morning in Buffalo Grove on Friday

Local time

6:54 AM

CDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Naperville, IL

Morning in Naperville on Friday

Local time

6:54 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°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

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

50m 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 Buffalo Grove, IL to Naperville, IL covers 33.8 miles and takes about 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 355, IL 53, East Ogden Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 16.9 miles from Buffalo Grove, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.28 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 is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 33.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.

The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles (North Arlington Heights Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (I 355): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

On the drive from Buffalo Grove, IL to Naperville, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Lisle along the way.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

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