Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Late night in Des Plaines on Friday
Local time
12:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Avondale, IL
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
21m
Distance
12.6 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Avondale, IL
Saynam Hung
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Avondale, IL covers 12.6 miles and takes about 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Caldwell Avenue, West Touhy Avenue, Edens Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 2.4 miles on North Caldwell Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.97 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 12.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Avondale, IL covers 12.6 miles and takes about 21m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Caldwell Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 2.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near East Oakton Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 12.6 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 0.8 miles (East Oakton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (I 94 / Edens Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Oakton Street
Turn left onto East Oakton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the ramp toward I 94 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 East
5
8.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge onto I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
12.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward Kimball Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 45B
Toward Kimball Avenue
5
12.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
West Belmont Avenue
Turn left onto West Belmont Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| West Touhy Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Busse Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Oakton Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Caldwell Avenue
— 2.4 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Avondale, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
3
Turn left onto East Oakton Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East Oakton Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Busse Highway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Busse Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn straight onto West Touhy Avenue
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
6
Turn right onto US 14
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Caldwell Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 94 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 94
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 90; I 94
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 45B
Toward Kimball Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto North Kimball Avenue
434 ft
·
25 sec
·
North Kimball Avenue
12
Turn left onto West Belmont Avenue
335 ft
·
16 sec
·
West Belmont Avenue
13
Turn right onto North Christiana Avenue
142 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Christiana Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
North Christiana Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.97 one way
$3.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.16 | $4.33 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.42 | $4.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.78 | $5.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.32 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.10 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.76 | $0.81 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Avondale, IL
Late night in Avondale on Friday
Local time
12:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°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
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
21m 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 Avondale, IL covers 12.6 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Caldwell Avenue, West Touhy Avenue, Edens Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.3 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 $1.97 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 12.6 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 0.8 miles (East Oakton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (I 94 / Edens Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Des Plaines, IL to Avondale, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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