Origin
Cincinnati, IL
Morning in Cincinnati on Saturday
Local time
8:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cincinnati, IL to Arlington Heights, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 2m
Distance
292.7 mi
471 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$46
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 49m
★
6 AM
5h 2m
8 AM
5h 29m
10 AM
5h 12m
12 PM
5h 9m
3 PM
5h 13m
5 PM
5h 28m
8 PM
4h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cincinnati, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Arlington Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Cincinnati, IL to Arlington Heights, IL covers 292.7 miles and takes about 5h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 900E, County Road 800 North, County Road 1600E for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $45.76 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
146.3 miles from Cincinnati, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 31m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 2m. Total distance: 292.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 2m drive with frequent turns across 292.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
900E 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.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 2m 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 Cincinnati, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 900E | — | — |
| County Road 800 North | — | — |
| County Road 1600E | — | — |
| Washington Street | — | — |
| County Road 1800N | — | — |
| Central Street | — | — |
| County Road 1400E | — | — |
| County Road 925 E | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
900E
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cincinnati, IL and Arlington Heights, IL.
1
Start on County Road 1000N
1.0 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 1000N
2
Turn left onto 900E
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
900E
3
Turn left onto County Road 800 North
7.0 mi
·
10 min
·
County Road 800 North
4
Turn slight left
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
5
Turn straight onto County Road 1600E
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
County Road 1600E
6
Continue on Washington Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Street
7
Continue on County Road 1600E
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
County Road 1600E
8
Continue on County Road 1800N
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road 1800N
9
Continue on Central Street
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Central Street
10
Continue on Central Street
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
Central Street
11
Continue on County Road 1400E
14 mi
·
20 min
·
County Road 1400E
12
Turn right onto County Road 925 E
16 mi
·
24 min
·
County Road 925 E
13
Continue on United States Route 45
15 mi
·
22 min
·
United States Route 45
14
Turn right onto West Fayette Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Fayette Avenue
15
Turn left onto South 3rd Street
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South 3rd Street
16
Take the ramp right toward I-57 North, I-70 East: Champaign, Terre Haute
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I-57 North, I-70 East: Champaign, Terre Haute
17
Merge slight left
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
18
Keep slight left to continue on I 57 North: Chicago
185 mi
·
3 hr 21 min
·
I 57 North: Chicago
19
Take the exit slight right toward IL 83, I 294 Toll North: Sibley Boulevard, 147th Street, Wisconsin
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
IL 83, I 294 Toll North: Sibley Boulevard, 147th Street, Wisconsin
20
Keep slight right to continue on I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
21
Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway
21 mi
·
25 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
22
Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
23
Take the exit slight right toward I 190 West, I 90: O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Rockford, River Road
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
I 190 West, I 90: O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Rockford, River Road
24
Keep slight left to continue on I 90 West Toll, I 90 East: Rockford, Chicago
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
I 90 West Toll, I 90 East: Rockford, Chicago
25
Keep slight left to continue on I 90 Toll West: Rockford
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 90 Toll West: Rockford
26
Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
27
Keep slight left to continue on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
28
Take the exit slight right toward Arlington Heights Road
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Arlington Heights Road
29
Keep slight right
499 ft
·
12 sec
30
Turn straight onto North Arlington Heights Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
North Arlington Heights Road
31
Continue on South Arlington Heights Road
3.1 mi
·
6 min
·
South Arlington Heights Road
32
Turn left onto East Euclid Avenue
49 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Euclid Avenue
33
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 146.3 miles from Cincinnati, IL, or about 2h 31m 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 64 miles or 1h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 146.3 miles or 2h 31m 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 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington Heights, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cincinnati, 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 Cincinnati, IL
This is one driving day of about 292.7 miles and 5h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from Cincinnati, 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 146.3 mi from Cincinnati, IL · 2h 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
146 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 64 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 146.3 miles from Cincinnati, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Arlington Heights, IL
The final approach into Arlington Heights, 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 Arlington Heights, 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
$45.76 one way
$91.52 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
102 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $50.24 | $100.49 |
| premium | $4.89 | $56.33 | $112.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $64.62 | $129.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 102.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 87.8 | 1 | $30.73 | $14.05 |
| Efficient EV | 73.2 | 0 | $25.61 | $11.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 117.1 | 1 | $40.98 | $18.73 |
Gas CO2
102 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Arlington Heights, IL
Morning in Arlington Heights on Saturday
Local time
8:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
23 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
5h 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 Cincinnati, IL to Arlington Heights, IL covers 292.7 miles and takes about 5h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 900E, County Road 800 North, County Road 1600E. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 146.3 miles from Cincinnati, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $45.76 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 straightforward 5h 2m 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 Cincinnati, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Cincinnati, IL to Arlington Heights, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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