If you are planning to head from Chicago to Oakbrook Terrace, expect a quick 19.3-mile trip that typically takes about 31 minutes. Since this route stays entirely within the Midwest, you won't be crossing any regional borders, making it a straightforward journey well-suited for a single-day excursion. You can anticipate a fuel budget of roughly $3, keeping this an incredibly affordable transit. Because the drive is short, you definitely don't need to worry about overnight splits or complex logistics. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection between the city and the suburbs that gets you where you need to go without the hassle of a long-haul haul.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
9.7 miles from Chicago, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 16m into the drive
.
Drive Character
Forget about cruising down a monotonous interstate, as this path is a turn-heavy local drive with zero highway share. You will navigate through the city using West Cermak Road, South Ashland Avenue, and West Van Buren Street instead of high-speed lanes. Because the route relies entirely on local streets, you should prepare for constant maneuvering and typical urban traffic patterns. There is no single longest stretch of open road here; instead, the drive maintains a consistent, stop-and-go pace throughout the entire 19.3-mile distance. Your focus will stay on city navigation rather than highway miles, giving the trip a very different feel than a typical cross-country interstate run.
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.
Eisenhower Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Eisenhower Expressway and Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near West Cermak Road.
Route Complexity8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 19.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (West Van Buren Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|West Cermak Road
At end of road, turn left onto West Cermak Road
Navigation decision point
6
2.7 mi into trip|~6m in|West Van Buren Street
Turn left onto West Van Buren Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
15 mi into trip|~23m 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 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
16.9 mi into trip|~26m in|I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
18 mi into trip|~27m in
Take the exit toward 22nd Street, Cermak Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street, Cermak Road
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chicago, IL and Oakbrook Terrace, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Indiana
15 mi in|~23m|via I 88; IL 110
22Nd Street (Cermak Road)
16.9 mi in|~26m|via I 88; IL 110
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Eisenhower Expressway
12.1 mi
16m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
2.9 mi
3m
South Ashland Avenue
1.7 mi
3m
West Cermak Road
0.8 mi
1m
West 22nd Street
0.8 mi
1m
West Van Buren Street
0.2 mi
<1m
MacArthur Drive
0.1 mi
<1m
Karban Road
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Eisenhower Expressway
— 12.1 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Oakbrook Terrace, IL.
1
Start on this road
0.2 mi·1 min·this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto West Cermak Road
0.8 mi·1 min·West Cermak Road
3
Turn right onto South Ashland Avenue
1.7 mi·3 min·South Ashland Avenue
4
Turn left onto West Van Buren Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·West Van Buren Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·16 sec
Toward I 290 West
6
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
12 mi·16 min·Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110
1.9 mi·2 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 15AToward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, IndianaUse the slight left lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
1.1 mi·1 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 138Toward 22nd Street, Cermak RoadUse the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto West 22nd Street
0.8 mi·1 min·West 22nd Street
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto MacArthur Drive
0.1 mi·32 sec·MacArthur Drive
12
Turn right onto Karban Road
0.1 mi·28 sec·Karban Road
13
Turn left onto Halsey Road
403 ft·17 sec·Halsey Road
14
Arrive at destination
Halsey Road
Trip Plan
Given the urban nature of these local roads, your best bet is to check traffic conditions before departing to avoid peak congestion times. Since the entire trip is only 31 minutes, you have maximum flexibility and won't need to worry about planning for rest stops or food breaks. Keep in mind that with no highway driving, your travel time can fluctuate significantly based on local street traffic, so leave a buffer if you have a hard arrival time. Since you are spending only about $3 on fuel, this is a budget-friendly way to move between Chicago and Oakbrook Terrace. A pro tip for this specific route is to familiarize yourself with the turns on West Van Buren Street and West Cermak Road beforehand, as the city layout requires constant attention compared to a straight shot on an interstate.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 9.7 miles from Chicago, IL, or about 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 12.1 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 19 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 9.7 miles or 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Oakbrook Terrace, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Chicago, IL.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Chicago, IL
This is one driving day of about 19.3 miles and 30m.
At 19.3 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Eisenhower Expressway for about 12.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 9.7 mi from Chicago, IL
· 16m into the drive
The midpoint is around 9.7 miles from Chicago, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Oakbrook Terrace, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Oakbrook Terrace, 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
$3.02 one way
$6.03 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg7 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$3.31
$6.63
premium
$4.89
$3.71
$7.43
diesel
$5.61
$4.26
$8.52
Estimated Tolls: $0.17
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(2.9 mi)$0.17
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$28–$53
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging
· 0 stops
· 71% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
5.8
0
$2.03
$0.93
Efficient EV
4.8
0
$1.69
$0.77
EV Truck/SUV
7.7
0
$2.70
$1.24
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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 14, 2026
Origin
Chicago, IL
Evening
in Chicago on Wednesday
Local time
8:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
W 10 mph75% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
Evening
in Oakbrook Terrace on Wednesday
Local time
8:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
N 10 mph75% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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
30m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Chicago, IL to Oakbrook Terrace, IL covers 19.3 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Eisenhower Expressway, Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, South Ashland 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 9.7 miles from Chicago, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.02 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 12 decision points packed into just 19.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (West Van Buren Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Chicago, IL and Oakbrook Terrace, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
