Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Late night in Des Plaines on Saturday
Local time
5:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Richmond, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
42.3 mi
68 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Richmond, IL
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Richmond, IL covers 42.3 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Rand Road, US 12, Rand Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22.9 miles on East Rand Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.28 one way before food or hotel costs.
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 58m. Total distance: 42.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Richmond, IL covers 42.3 miles and takes about 58m, 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 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Rand Road is the longest continuous segment at about 22.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Des Plaines River Road.
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 Richmond, IL is easy. At 58m with 38% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 12 / Rand Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.3 miles (Broadway Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
3 of 3 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Des Plaines River Road
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 12 / Rand Road
Turn left onto US 12 / Rand Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
42.3 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
Broadway Street
Turn right onto Broadway Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Rand Road | 22.9 mi | 33m |
| US 12 | 16 mi | 18m |
| Rand Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Broadway Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East Rand Road
— 22.9 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Richmond, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
3
Turn left onto US 12
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Rand Road
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on US 12
23 mi
·
33 min
·
East Rand Road
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on US 12; IL 59
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on US 12; IL 59
12 mi
·
14 min
·
US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 12
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12
8
Turn right onto Broadway Street
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
Broadway Street
9
Arrive at destination
Broadway Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.1 mi from Des Plaines, IL · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.1 miles from Des Plaines, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Richmond, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Richmond, 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
$6.28 one way
$12.56 round trip
$3.77/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $7.08 | $14.17 |
| premium | $4.65 | $7.75 | $15.50 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $8.83 | $17.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.70 | $1.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.92 | $2.71 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Richmond, IL
Late night in Richmond on Saturday
Local time
5:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Gilmer, IL
21 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
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
58m 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 Richmond, IL covers 42.3 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Rand Road, US 12, Rand Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.1 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 $6.28 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.
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Richmond, IL is easy. At 58m with 38% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 12 / Rand Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.3 miles (Broadway Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Des Plaines, IL to Richmond, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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