Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Afternoon in Des Plaines on Saturday
Local time
3:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Knoxville, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 44m
Distance
198.2 mi
319 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 32m
★
6 AM
3h 45m
8 AM
4h 10m
10 AM
3h 53m
12 PM
3h 51m
3 PM
3h 55m
5 PM
4h 9m
8 PM
3h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Knoxville, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Knoxville, IL covers 198.2 miles and takes about 3h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Des Plaines River Road, I 294 South, Tri-State Tollway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
99.1 miles from Des Plaines, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 52m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Des Plaines River Road | — | — |
| I 294 South | — | — |
| Tri-State Tollway | — | — |
| I 88 West | — | — |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | — | — |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway | — | — |
| Chicago-Kansas City Expressway | — | — |
| I 80 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
South Des Plaines River Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Knoxville, 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
3
Take the ramp slight right toward I 294 South: Indiana
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
I 294 South: Indiana
4
Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
5
Take the exit slight right toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
6
Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
7
Continue on Tri-State Tollway
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
8
Keep slight right to continue on I 88 West Toll: Aurora
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 88 West Toll: Aurora
9
Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
25 mi
·
30 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
11
Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
69 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
12
Continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
13
Continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
38 mi
·
40 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
14
Continue on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
5.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
15
Take the exit slight right toward I 80: Peoria
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
I 80: Peoria
16
Keep slight left to continue on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
37 mi
·
39 min
·
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
17
Take the exit slight right toward Knoxville
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Knoxville
18
Turn right onto Knox Highway 9
361 ft
·
10 sec
·
Knox Highway 9
19
Continue on Henderson Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Henderson Road
20
Continue on North Division Street
371 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Division Street
21
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Main Street
22
Turn left onto North Market Street
128 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Market Street
23
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 99.1 miles from Des Plaines, IL, or about 1h 52m 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 44 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 99.1 miles or 1h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Knoxville, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Des Plaines, 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 Des Plaines, IL
This is one driving day of about 198.2 miles and 3h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Des Plaines, 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.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
99 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 44 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 99.1 miles from Des Plaines, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.99 one way
$61.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
69 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $34.02 | $68.04 |
| premium | $4.89 | $38.14 | $76.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $43.76 | $87.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 59.5 | 0 | $20.81 | $9.51 |
| Efficient EV | 49.6 | 0 | $17.34 | $7.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 79.3 | 0 | $27.75 | $12.68 |
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (67% 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
Knoxville, IL
Afternoon in Knoxville on Saturday
Local time
3:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
1 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
3h 44m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
198.2 mi in 3h 44m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: South Des Plaines River Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Knoxville, IL is easy. At 3h 44m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Des Plaines, IL to Knoxville, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
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
Arriving in Knoxville, IL
Full guide →Founded 1831
Top landmarks
- • Knox County Courthouse — former courthouse and adjacent in Knoxville, Illinois, USA; now a city hall
- • Knox County Jail — former jail in Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois
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 3h 44m. Total distance: 198.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Des Plaines, IL to Knoxville, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Knoxville, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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