The drive from Chicago, IL to Warsaw, IL covers 287.7 miles and takes about 5h 38m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Chicago-Kansas City Expressway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 115.1 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.98 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
143.8 miles from Chicago, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 46m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 38m. Total distance: 287.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 38m highway drive covering 287.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and Adlai Stevenson Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 115.1 miles on I 80.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 115.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and Adlai Stevenson Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near South Halsted Street.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 287.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|South Halsted Street
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 55: Saint Louis, Lake Shore Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55: Saint Louis, Lake Shore Drive
8
1 mi into trip|~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 55 South: St Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 53B
Toward I 55 South: St Louis
7
42.7 mi into trip|~57m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: Iowa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 250B
Toward I 80 West: Iowa
6
158.6 mi into trip|~3h 2m in|I 280
Keep slight left at fork onto I 280 toward I 74 West, I 280 West: Moline, Rock Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 74 West, I 280 West: Moline, Rock Isla...
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 Chicago, IL to Warsaw, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rock Island along the way.
Rock Island
158.6 mi in|~3h 2m|via I 280
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
115.1 mi
2h 3m
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
35.2 mi
45m
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
31.4 mi
33m
US 34
28.4 mi
34m
354th Avenue
28 mi
32m
IL 110
21.7 mi
26m
71st Street
5.8 mi
6m
Stevenson Expressway
5.6 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 115.1 mi, about 2h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Warsaw, IL.
1
Start on this road
0.2 mi·1 min·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi·26 sec·West Cermak Road
3
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi·17 sec·South Halsted Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
285 ft·5 sec·South Canalport Avenue
5
Turn slight right
110 ft·4 sec
6
Take the ramp
455 ft·11 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward I 55: Saint Louis, Lake Shore DriveUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 53BToward I 55 South: St LouisUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 55
5.6 mi·7 min·Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 55
0.3 mi·27 sec·Adlai E Stevenson Expressway
11
Continue on I 55
35 mi·45 min·Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 250BToward I 80 West: IowaUse the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto I 80
115 mi·2 hr 3 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 280
0.5 mi·31 sec·I 280
Toward I 74 West, I 280 West: Moline, Rock Island
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·48 sec
Toward I 74 East: Peoria
16
Merge onto I 80; IL 110
519 ft·6 sec·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
17
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 110
31 mi·33 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
18
Take the exit onto IL 110
22 mi·26 min·IL 110
Exit 46AToward US 34 West: Monmouth
19
Take the exit onto US 34
28 mi·34 min·US 34
Toward US 34 West: Burlington
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 261Toward US 61: Fort Madison
21
Turn left onto US 61
1.3 mi·1 min·North Roosevelt Avenue
Use the straight lane.
22
Continue on US 61
5.7 mi·6 min·71st Street
Use the straight lane.
23
Continue on US 61
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway 61
24
Continue on US 61
0.1 mi·9 sec·71st Street
25
Continue on US 61
28 mi·32 min·354th Avenue
26
Continue on US 218; US 61 Business
4.8 mi·7 min·Main Street
27
Continue on US 136
0.2 mi·20 sec·US 136
28
Turn slight right
122 ft·7 sec
29
Turn right onto Warsaw Road
0.5 mi·57 sec·Warsaw Road
30
Continue on County Highway 32
3.7 mi·6 min·County Highway 32
31
Continue on North 6th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·North 6th Street
32
Turn right onto Main Street
50 ft·1 sec·Main Street
33
Arrive at destination
Main Street
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 143.8 miles from Chicago, IL, or about 2h 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 115.1 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 63 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 143.8 miles or 2h 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Warsaw, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chicago, 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 Chicago, IL
This is one driving day of about 287.7 miles and 5h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from Chicago, 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 80 for about 115.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 143.8 mi from Chicago, IL
· 2h 46m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.98 one way
$89.96 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg101 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$49.38
$98.77
premium
$4.89
$55.37
$110.73
diesel
$5.61
$63.52
$127.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
86.3
1
$30.21
$13.81
Efficient EV
71.9
0
$25.17
$11.51
EV Truck/SUV
115.1
1
$40.28
$18.41
Gas CO2
101 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Chicago, IL
Afternoon
in Chicago on Thursday
Local time
4:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Warsaw, IL
Afternoon
in Warsaw on Thursday
Local time
4:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
75°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
24 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
5h 38m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Warsaw, IL covers 287.7 miles and takes about 5h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Chicago-Kansas City Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 143.8 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 $44.98 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 287.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Chicago, IL to Warsaw, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rock Island along the way.
