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Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Winfield, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

45m

Distance

31.7 mi

51 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 42m ★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m

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

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Des Plaines, IL

Wikimedia Commons

incorporated village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Winfield, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Winfield, IL covers 31.7 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Tri-State Tollway, Winfield Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.1 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.96 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 31.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

45m 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

Expect a 45m drive with frequent turns across 31.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 14.1 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 11.2 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 13 decision points packed into just 31.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 11.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

7
11.2 mi into trip | ~16m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Take the exit onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
12.2 mi into trip | ~18m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
12.8 mi into trip | ~19m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 31A Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
8
14.1 mi into trip | ~21m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
27.4 mi into trip | ~37m in

Take the exit toward Winfield Road, Warrenville, Winfield

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 125 Toward Winfield Road, Warrenville, Winfield

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Des Plaines, IL and Winfield, IL, road signs point toward Indiana, 22Nd Street (Cermak Road) and Warrenville.

Indiana

11.2 mi in | ~16m | via I 294

22Nd Street (Cermak Road)

14.1 mi in | ~21m | via I 88; IL 110

Warrenville

27.4 mi in | ~37m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 14.1 mi 17m
Tri-State Tollway 10.5 mi 14m
Winfield Road 3.9 mi 7m
South Des Plaines River Road 1.8 mi 3m
Henry Avenue 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway — 14.1 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Winfield, 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

8.9 mi · 11 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit onto I 294

1.0 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight right lane.
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana Use the slight right lane.
7

Continue on I 294

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Tri-State Tollway
Exit 15A Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 49 sec
Exit 31A Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 88; IL 110

0.8 mi · 59 sec · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
10

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

13 mi · 16 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138 Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road) Use the slight right lane.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Exit 125 Toward Winfield Road, Warrenville, Winfield Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on this road

524 ft · 12 sec · this road
Exit 125 Toward Winfield Road, Warrenville, Winfield
13

Turn right onto Winfield Road

3.9 mi · 7 min · Winfield Road
Use the left lane.
14

Turn left

102 ft · 7 sec
15

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 15.9 mi from Des Plaines, IL · 23m into the drive

city in Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Elmhurst, IL

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

Warrenville, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Elmhurst, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 15.9 miles from Des Plaines, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Winfield, IL

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Winfield, 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

$4.96 one way

$9.91 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $5.44 $10.88
premium $4.89 $6.10 $12.20
diesel $5.61 $7.00 $14.00

Estimated Tolls: $1.48

Reagan Memorial Tollway (14.1 mi) $0.85
Tri-state Tollway (10.5 mi) $0.63

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

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 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 9.5 0 $3.33 $1.52
Efficient EV 7.9 0 $2.77 $1.27
EV Truck/SUV 12.7 0 $4.44 $2.03

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Des Plaines, IL

Late night in Des Plaines on Friday

Local time

5:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Winfield, IL

Late night in Winfield on Friday

Local time

5:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

69°F

Elmhurst, IL

16 mi in

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

45m 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 Winfield, IL covers 31.7 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Tri-State Tollway, Winfield Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 15.9 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 $4.96 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 13 decision points packed into just 31.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.

The main spots that need attention: at 11.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Between Des Plaines, IL and Winfield, IL, road signs point toward Indiana, 22Nd Street (Cermak Road) and Warrenville.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

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