Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Morning in Des Plaines on Saturday
Local time
11:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Coal City, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
64.7 mi
104 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 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
Coal City, IL
Braeson Holland
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Coal City, IL covers 64.7 miles and takes about 1h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Tri-State Tollway, East Division Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 40.8 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
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).
Top landmarks
- • McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
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 1h 23m. Total distance: 64.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 23m highway drive covering 64.7 miles, with most of the trip on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and Tri-State Tollway. The longest continuous stretch is about 40.8 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 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 40.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and Tri-State Tollway. 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
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.7 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 0.1 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 10 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.
6
19.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 23
Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
7
20.5 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Des Plaines, IL to Coal City, IL, road signs begin pointing toward St. Louis along the way.
St. Louis
19.8 mi in
|
~26m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Adlai Stevenson Expressway | 40.8 mi | 49m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 17.5 mi | 22m |
| East Division Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| West Coal City Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Division Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
— 40.8 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Coal City, 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
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 23
Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 55
41 mi
·
49 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward IL 113: Coal City, Kankakee
11
Turn right onto IL 113
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Coal City Road
12
Continue on IL 113
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East Division Street
13
Arrive at destination
IL 113
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 32.4 mi from Des Plaines, IL · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.4 miles from Des Plaines, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Coal City, IL
The final approach into Coal City, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.12 one way
$20.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.11 | $22.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.45 | $24.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.28 | $28.57 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.05
Tri-state Tollway
(17.5 mi)
$1.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$1
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.79 | $3.11 |
| Efficient EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.66 | $2.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.9 | 0 | $9.06 | $4.14 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Coal City, IL
Morning in Coal City on Saturday
Local time
11:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
1 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
1h 23m 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 Coal City, IL covers 64.7 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Tri-State Tollway, East Division Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 32.4 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 $10.12 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 64.7 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 0.1 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.
On the drive from Des Plaines, IL to Coal City, IL, road signs begin pointing toward St. Louis along the way.
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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