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Trip from Downers Grove, IL to Des Plaines, IL

Drive Time

32m

Distance

20.8 mi

33 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 29m ★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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village in Downers Grove, Lisle, and York Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Downers Grove, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Des Plaines, IL, IL

Des Plaines, IL

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Downers Grove, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 20.8 miles and takes about 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Tri-State Tollway, Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, South Des Plaines River Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.9 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.16 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

10.4 miles from Downers Grove, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 16m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 32m drive with frequent turns across 20.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.9 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 1.6 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 20.8 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

6
1.6 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago
8
7 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford

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 139 Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rock...
7
17.8 mi into trip | ~25m in

Take the exit toward Touhy Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 42 A-B Toward Touhy Avenue
7
18.4 mi into trip | ~27m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Touhy Avenue West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Touhy Avenue West
8
18.5 mi into trip | ~27m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Touhy Avenue West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 42B Toward Touhy Avenue West

Towns Along This Route

Between Downers Grove, IL and Des Plaines, IL, road signs point toward Rockford, Milwaukee and Touhy Avenue West.

Rockford

7 mi in | ~10m

Milwaukee

7.6 mi in | ~12m

Touhy Avenue West

18.4 mi in | ~27m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tri-State Tollway 9.9 mi 13m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 5.1 mi 6m
South Des Plaines River Road 1.7 mi 3m
Highland Avenue 1.1 mi 2m
Main Street 0.5 mi 1m
Henry Avenue 0.1 mi <1m
East Touhy Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Tri-State Tollway — 9.9 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Downers Grove, IL and Des Plaines, IL.

1

Start on Main Street

37 ft · 30 sec · Main Street
2

Continue on Main Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
3

Continue on Highland Avenue

1.1 mi · 2 min · Highland Avenue
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward I 88 East Toll: Chicago Use the right lane.
5

Merge onto I 88; IL 110

0.3 mi · 25 sec · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

4.7 mi · 5 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 139 Toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee
9

Merge onto I 294

9.9 mi · 13 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Exit 42 A-B Toward Touhy Avenue Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 42 A-B Toward Touhy Avenue
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 16 sec
Toward Touhy Avenue West Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Exit 42B Toward Touhy Avenue West Use the right lane.
14

Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue

325 ft · 7 sec · East Touhy Avenue
15

Turn slight right

339 ft · 9 sec
16

Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road

1.7 mi · 3 min · South Des Plaines River Road
17

Turn left onto Henry Avenue

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Henry Avenue
18

Arrive at destination

Henry Avenue

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 10.4 miles from Downers Grove, IL, or about 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 9.9 miles.

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 20.8 miles or 32m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 10.4 miles or 16m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Des Plaines, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Downers Grove, 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 Downers Grove, IL

This is one driving day of about 20.8 miles and 32m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Downers Grove, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Tri-State Tollway for about 9.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 10.4 mi from Downers Grove, IL · 16m into the drive

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States; suburb of Chicago, Illinois

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Oak Park, IL

10 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

Palatine, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Berwyn, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 10.4 miles from Downers Grove, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Des Plaines, IL

The final approach into Des Plaines, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Des Plaines, IL.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

Pullman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...

20 mi from route ~50 min detour Free near mile 6.5
Caution: Road Construction Near the Park
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.16 one way

$6.32 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $3.48 $6.97
premium $4.80 $3.93 $7.85
diesel $5.64 $4.62 $9.24

Estimated Tolls: $0.90

Tri-state Tollway (9.9 mi) $0.60
Reagan Memorial Tollway (5.1 mi) $0.30

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$3

Tolls

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$29–$54

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.2 0 $2.18 $1.00
Efficient EV 5.2 0 $1.82 $0.83
EV Truck/SUV 8.3 0 $2.91 $1.33

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Downers Grove, IL

Afternoon in Downers Grove on Monday

Local time

2:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Des Plaines, IL

Afternoon in Des Plaines on Monday

Local time

2:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

32m 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 Downers Grove, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 20.8 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, South Des Plaines River Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.4 miles from Downers Grove, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.16 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 demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 20.8 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Downers Grove, IL and Des Plaines, IL, road signs point toward Rockford, Milwaukee and Touhy Avenue West.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Des Plaines, IL to Downers Grove, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

20.5 mi 31m

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