Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Evening in Des Plaines on Friday
Local time
7:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Ashburn, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
32.7 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Ashburn, IL
NIKOLAI FOMIN
Trip Overview
Des Plaines to Ashburn is 32.7 miles and takes about 47 minutes via Tri-State Tollway and West 95th Street, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a local, turn-heavy experience rather than an open highway cruise. It's a straightforward trip, easily manageable within a single day, making it a good option for a quick local excursion.
About the Cities
Starting in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 32.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with no highway share percentage provided, suggesting a significant portion will be on surface streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 23.2 miles on the Tri-State Tollway. You'll transition from tollway driving to local roads like West 95th Street and South Des Plaines River Road, so be prepared for varied speed limits and more frequent intersections as you get closer to your destination.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Des Plaines River Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 32.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Des Plaines River Road
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
18.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
26.4 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward US 12 East, US 20 East: 95th Street, 76th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 17A
Toward US 12 East, US 20 East: 95th Street, 76t...
9
26.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 12, US 20 East: 95th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 12, US 20 East: 95th Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 23.2 mi | 29m |
| West 95th Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Southwest Highway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| West 93rd Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Mile-Long Bridge | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Columbus Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Central Park Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 23.2 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Ashburn, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 294 South: Indiana
4
Merge onto I 294
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 294
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mile-Long Bridge
8
Continue on I 294
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 17A
Toward US 12 East, US 20 East: 95th Street, 76th Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward US 12, US 20 East: 95th Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto US 12; US 20
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
West 95th Street
12
Turn left onto Southwest Highway
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Southwest Highway
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on West 93rd Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West 93rd Street
14
Continue on Southwest Highway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Highway
15
Continue on West Columbus Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Columbus Avenue
16
Turn left onto South Central Park Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Central Park Avenue
17
Turn right
182 ft
·
13 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.3 mi from Des Plaines, IL · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.3 miles from Des Plaines, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ashburn, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Ashburn, 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
$5.11 one way
$10.22 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.61 | $11.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.29 | $12.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.22 | $14.44 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.39
Tri-state Tollway
(23.2 mi)
$1.39
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.43 | $1.57 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.58 | $2.09 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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.
Destination
Ashburn, IL
Evening in Ashburn on Friday
Local time
7:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
18 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
47m 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 Des Plaines, IL to Ashburn, IL covers 32.7 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, West 95th Street, South Des Plaines River Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.3 miles from Des Plaines, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.11 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 9 decision points packed into just 32.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Des Plaines, IL to Ashburn, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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