Origin
Elgin, IL
Evening in Elgin on Friday
Local time
7:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elgin, 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
56m
Distance
32.6 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Richmond, IL
Kelly
Trip Overview
The drive from Elgin, IL to Richmond, IL covers 32.6 miles and takes about 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Center Street, East Highland Avenue, North State Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Elgin, IL
Full guide →Elgin is a city in Chicagoland known for its Victorian architecture and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
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 56m. Total distance: 32.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 56m drive with frequent turns across 32.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Center Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 Elgin, IL to Richmond, IL is easy. At 56m 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 Elgin, IL to Richmond, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Center Street | — | — |
| East Highland Avenue | — | — |
| North State Street | — | — |
| South 8th Street | — | — |
| North 8th Street | — | — |
| South Western Avenue | — | — |
| North Western Avenue | — | — |
| West Elm Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Center Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and Richmond, IL.
1
Start on East Chicago Street
33 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Chicago Street
2
Turn left onto Center Street
328 ft
·
13 sec
·
Center Street
3
Turn left onto East Highland Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Highland Avenue
4
Turn right onto North State Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
North State Street
5
Continue on South 8th Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South 8th Street
6
Continue on North 8th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North 8th Street
7
Continue on South Western Avenue
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Western Avenue
8
Continue on North Western Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Western Avenue
9
Continue straight
16 mi
·
26 min
10
Turn right onto West Elm Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Elm Street
11
Turn left onto Richmond Road
8.0 mi
·
12 min
·
Richmond Road
12
Continue straight
1.7 mi
·
2 min
13
Turn right onto Broadway Street
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
Broadway Street
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.3 mi from Elgin, IL · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 32.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.3 miles from Elgin, 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
$5.10 one way
$10.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.60 | $11.19 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.27 | $12.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.20 | $14.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 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 | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.85 | $1.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.09 |
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.
Destination
Richmond, IL
Evening in Richmond on Friday
Local time
7:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
19 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
56m 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 Elgin, IL to Richmond, IL covers 32.6 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Center Street, East Highland Avenue, North State Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.3 miles from Elgin, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.10 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 Elgin, IL to Richmond, IL is easy. At 56m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Elgin, IL to Richmond, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Elgin, IL to Richmond, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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 EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Richmond, IL
Explore more options from Elgin, IL or browse trips ending in Richmond, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.