Trip from Cicero, IL to Auburn, IL

Drive Time

4h 2m

Distance

212.4 mi

342 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 49m ★
6 AM
4h 2m
8 AM
4h 28m
10 AM
4h 11m
12 PM
4h 9m
3 PM
4h 12m
5 PM
4h 27m
8 PM
3h 54m

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

Downtown Auburn, IL, IL

Auburn, IL

Dominik Gryzbon

Trip Overview

Spanning 212.4 miles across the Illinois heartland, this trip from Cicero to Auburn typically takes about 4 hours and 2 minutes. Because the route is straightforward and manageable, you can easily complete the journey in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $32 on fuel to cover the distance. Navigating primarily via the Adlai Stevenson Expressway, I-55, and IL-104, you will stay within the Midwest region for the duration of your travel. This is a practical, efficient corridor for those looking to move between these two points with minimal fuss. Whether you are heading south for business or a visit, the drive offers a reliable transit path.

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

106.2 miles from Cicero, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 2m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a focused, highway-heavy experience, as 98% of this trip is spent on major thoroughfares. You will begin with a 127.8-mile stretch on the Adlai Stevenson Expressway, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of your drive. As you transition onto I-55 and eventually IL-104, the road maintains its interstate-driven personality, favoring speed and efficiency over winding local paths. The journey is designed for steady cruising rather than technical maneuvering, keeping the drive predictable from start to finish. You can anticipate a consistent, high-speed pace that makes the four-hour duration feel relatively uniform.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Adlai Stevenson Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 127.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and I 55. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near South Central Avenue.

Route Complexity 5/10

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

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 212.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 1.1 miles (South Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 131.2 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

6
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in | South Central Avenue

Turn left onto South Central Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the none lane.
5
3.4 mi into trip | ~6m in | I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge onto I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
8
131.2 mi into trip | ~2h 31m in | I 55

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

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

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
5
196 mi into trip | ~3h 41m in | I 55

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
5
206.5 mi into trip | ~3h 52m in

Take the exit toward IL 104: Pawnee, Auburn

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward IL 104: Pawnee, Auburn

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Cicero, IL to Auburn, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Springfield along the way.

Springfield

131.2 mi in | ~2h 31m | via I 55

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Adlai Stevenson Expressway 127.8 mi 2h 24m
I 55 75.3 mi 1h 21m
IL 104 5.2 mi 7m
South Central Avenue 1.7 mi 3m
South Laramie Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
West 31st Street 0.5 mi 1m
South 5th Street 0.2 mi <1m
North 5th Street Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Adlai Stevenson Expressway — 127.8 mi, about 2h 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cicero, IL and Auburn, IL.

1

Start on South Laramie Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Laramie Avenue
Use the none lane.
2

Turn right onto West 31st Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · West 31st Street
3

Turn left onto South Central Avenue

1.7 mi · 3 min · South Central Avenue
Use the none lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 55 South
5

Merge onto I 55

128 mi · 2 hr 24 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 55

65 mi · 1 hr 10 min · I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55

11 mi · 11 min · I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
8

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 51 sec
Toward IL 104: Pawnee, Auburn
9

Turn right onto IL 104

5.2 mi · 7 min · IL 104
10

Turn right onto South 5th Street

0.2 mi · 32 sec · South 5th Street
11

Arrive at destination

North 5th Street

Trip Plan

To keep your trip stress-free, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refresh during the four-hour drive. Since the route is heavily reliant on I-55, try to avoid peak rush hours in the suburban segments to maintain your momentum. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge early in the trip, as you will want to have your $32 budget ready for a fill-up once you clear the initial expressway traffic. Having only one major stop planned allows you to maintain a flexible schedule, giving you plenty of control over your arrival time in Auburn. Prioritize checking local traffic reports for the Adlai Stevenson Expressway before you pull out of Cicero to ensure a smooth departure.

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 106.2 miles from Cicero, IL, or about 2h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 127.8 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 33m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 106.2 miles or 2h 2m 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 17m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cicero, 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 Cicero, IL

This is one driving day of about 212.4 miles and 4h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Cicero, 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 Adlai Stevenson Expressway for about 127.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 106.2 mi from Cicero, IL · 2h 2m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bloomington, IL

106 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 106.2 miles from Cicero, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Adlai Stevenson Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 127.8 miles.

Arriving in Auburn, IL

The final approach into Auburn, 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 Auburn, IL.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.26 one way

$64.52 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 74 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $35.56 $71.13
premium $4.80 $40.10 $80.19
diesel $5.64 $47.19 $94.38

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 74.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 63.7 0 $22.30 $10.20
Efficient EV 53.1 0 $18.59 $8.50
EV Truck/SUV 85 1 $29.74 $13.59

Gas CO2

74 kg

EV CO2

25 kg (66% 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 3 days ago

Origin

Cicero, IL

Evening in Cicero on Sunday

Local time

6:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Auburn, IL

Evening in Auburn on Sunday

Local time

6:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

53°F

Bloomington, IL

106 mi in

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

7 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

4h 2m 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 Cicero, IL to Auburn, IL covers 212.4 miles and takes about 4h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Adlai Stevenson Expressway, I 55, IL 104. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 106.2 miles from Cicero, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $32.26 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 212.4 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (South Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (I 55 / Adlai Stevenson Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 131.2 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Cicero, IL to Auburn, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Springfield along the way.

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Return Trip

Auburn, IL to Cicero, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

213.4 mi 4h 2m

Explore more options from Cicero, IL or browse trips ending in Auburn, IL.

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