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Trip from Fairfield, IL to Chicago, IL

Data updated 3 hours ago

Drive Time

59m

Distance

41.3 mi

66 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 54m ★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
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.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Fairfield, IL, IL

Fairfield, IL

Choco Kitty

Downtown chicago-il

Chicago, IL

Otoniel Alvarado

Trip Overview

The drive from Fairfield, IL to Chicago, IL covers 41.3 miles and takes about 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Edens Expressway, Kennedy Expressway, Edens Spur for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.7 miles on Edens Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.46 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

20.7 miles from Fairfield, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 29m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

The drive from Fairfield, IL to Chicago, IL covers 41.3 miles and takes about 59m, 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 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Edens Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near IL 22 / Half Day Road.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 41.3 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 2.7 miles (IL 22 / Half Day Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 12.7 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

5
2.7 mi into trip | ~5m in | IL 22 / Half Day Road

Turn left onto IL 22 / Half Day Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
4
9.4 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the ramp toward I 94 East Toll: Indiana

Navigation decision point

Toward I 94 East Toll: Indiana
7
12.7 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 94 / Edens Spur

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Edens Spur toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
7
40.3 mi into trip | ~56m in

Take the exit toward 18th Street

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 52C Toward 18th Street
4
40.8 mi into trip | ~57m in | South Halsted Street

Turn left onto South Halsted Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Edens Expressway 13.7 mi 17m
Kennedy Expressway 8.1 mi 11m
Edens Spur 4.8 mi 5m
West Half Day Road 4.2 mi 7m
Tri-State Tollway 2.9 mi 3m
Old McHenry Road 2.7 mi 5m
Half Day Road 2.5 mi 3m
Dan Ryan Expressway 0.9 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Edens Expressway — 13.7 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, IL and Chicago, IL.

1

Start on V77

2.7 mi · 5 min · Old McHenry Road
2

Turn left onto IL 22

2.5 mi · 3 min · Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
3

Continue on IL 22

4.2 mi · 7 min · West Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Toward I 94 East Toll: Indiana
5

Merge onto I 94

2.9 mi · 3 min · Tri-State Tollway
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

4.8 mi · 5 min · Edens Spur
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago Use the slight left lane.
7

Continue on I 94; US 41

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 90; I 94

8.1 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9

Continue on I 90; I 94

0.9 mi · 1 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 52C Toward 18th Street Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue

0.2 mi · 30 sec · South Union Avenue
12

Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue

505 ft · 12 sec · South Canalport Avenue
13

Turn left onto South Halsted Street

0.1 mi · 18 sec · South Halsted Street
14

Turn right onto West Cermak Road

0.2 mi · 24 sec · West Cermak Road
15

Turn left

152 ft · 11 sec
16

Turn right

0.2 mi · 58 sec
17

Arrive at destination

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 20.7 miles from Fairfield, IL, or about 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 13.7 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 41.3 miles or 59m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 20.7 miles or 29m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 48m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Fairfield, 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 Fairfield, IL

This is one driving day of about 41.3 miles and 59m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Fairfield, 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 Edens Expressway for about 13.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 20.7 mi from Fairfield, IL · 29m into the drive

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Glenview, IL

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.

Popular next leg

Glenview, IL to Chicago, IL

19.9 mi · 31m

Pacing Suggestions

Oak Park, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Glenview, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.7 miles from Fairfield, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Chicago, IL

The final approach into Chicago, 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 Chicago, 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...

11 mi from route ~27 min detour Free near mile 41.3
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

$6.46 one way

$12.91 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.09 $14.18
premium $4.89 $7.95 $15.90
diesel $5.61 $9.12 $18.24

Estimated Tolls: $0.18

Tri-state Tollway (2.9 mi) $0.18

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

$6

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$32–$57

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.4 0 $4.34 $1.98
Efficient EV 10.3 0 $3.61 $1.65
EV Truck/SUV 16.5 0 $5.78 $2.64

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast data refreshed 4 days ago

Origin

Fairfield, IL

Evening in Fairfield on Tuesday

Local time

6:38 PM

CDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chicago, IL

Evening in Chicago on Tuesday

Local time

6:38 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

9 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

59m 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 Fairfield, IL to Chicago, IL covers 41.3 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Edens Expressway, Kennedy Expressway, Edens Spur. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.7 miles from Fairfield, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.46 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 10 significant decision points across 41.3 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 2.7 miles (IL 22 / Half Day Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 12.7 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Fairfield, IL to Chicago, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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