Origin
Chester, IL
Morning in Chester on Tuesday
Local time
11:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chester, IL to Champaign, IL
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
3h 48m
Distance
220.4 mi
355 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$34
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 36m
★
6 AM
3h 48m
8 AM
4h 14m
10 AM
3h 57m
12 PM
3h 55m
3 PM
3h 58m
5 PM
4h 12m
8 PM
3h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chester, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Chester, IL to Champaign, IL covers 220.4 miles and takes about 3h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Street, West Broadway Street, Kennedy Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.46 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
110.2 miles from Chester, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 54m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 48m drive with frequent turns across 220.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Street 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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 3h 48m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chester, IL to Champaign, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Broadway Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Kennedy Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Water Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 51 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Route 51 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Elm Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
State Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chester, IL and Champaign, IL.
1
Start on East Stacey Street
125 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Stacey Street
2
Turn left onto State Street
12 mi
·
21 min
·
State Street
3
Continue on West Broadway Street
11 mi
·
19 min
·
West Broadway Street
4
At the end of the road, turn right
8.9 mi
·
13 min
5
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Kennedy Drive
43 ft
·
1 sec
·
Kennedy Drive
6
Exit the roundabout onto Kennedy Drive
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
Kennedy Drive
7
Continue on West Water Street
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
West Water Street
8
Turn left onto North Main Street
22 mi
·
26 min
·
North Main Street
9
Take the exit right
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
10
Merge slight left
10 mi
·
11 min
11
Take the exit slight right toward US 51: Centralia, Ashley
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 51: Centralia, Ashley
12
Turn left onto United States Route 51
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
United States Route 51
13
Continue on Elm Street
2.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Elm Street
14
Continue on South Broadway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Broadway
15
Continue on County Road 180 East
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
County Road 180 East
16
Continue on South Mine Street
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
South Mine Street
17
Continue on N Mine St
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
N Mine St
18
Continue on North Mine Street
348 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Mine Street
19
Take the exit slight right
135 ft
·
4 sec
20
Turn right
7.8 mi
·
9 min
21
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
22
Merge slight left
47 mi
·
50 min
23
Keep slight left to continue on I 57 North: Chicago
71 mi
·
1 hr 16 min
·
I 57 North: Chicago
24
Take the exit slight right toward I-72 East: University Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I-72 East: University Avenue
25
Merge slight left
1.0 mi
·
1 min
26
Continue on West University Avenue
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
West University Avenue
27
Turn left onto North Randolph Street
364 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Randolph Street
28
Turn right onto West Park Avenue
459 ft
·
15 sec
·
West Park Avenue
29
Turn right onto North Neil Street
318 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Neil Street
30
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 110.2 miles from Chester, IL, or about 1h 54m 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 80 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.2 miles or 1h 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Champaign, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chester, 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 Chester, IL
This is one driving day of about 220.4 miles and 3h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Chester, 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 110.2 mi from Chester, IL · 1h 54m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
110 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 110.2 miles from Chester, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Champaign, IL
The final approach into Champaign, 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 Champaign, 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
$34.46 one way
$68.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
77 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $37.83 | $75.66 |
| premium | $4.89 | $42.41 | $84.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $48.66 | $97.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 77.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 66.1 | 0 | $23.14 | $10.58 |
| Efficient EV | 55.1 | 0 | $19.29 | $8.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 88.2 | 1 | $30.86 | $14.11 |
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Champaign, IL
Morning in Champaign on Tuesday
Local time
11:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°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
19 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
3h 48m 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 Chester, IL to Champaign, IL covers 220.4 miles and takes about 3h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Street, West Broadway Street, Kennedy Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 110.2 miles from Chester, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.46 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 48m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Chester, IL to Champaign, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chester, IL to Champaign, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Champaign, IL
More trips to Champaign, IL
Explore more options from Chester, IL or browse trips ending in Champaign, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.
Explore maps for Chester, IL or Champaign, IL on MapSof.net.