Skip to main content

Trip from Franklin Park, IL to Chicago, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

28m

Distance

17.9 mi

29 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 26m ★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m

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

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Franklin Park, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown chicago-il

Chicago, IL

Otoniel Alvarado

Trip Overview

Traveling from Franklin Park to Chicago is a quick, straightforward journey that spans just 17.9 miles. You can expect the drive to take roughly 28 minutes, making it an ideal candidate for a simple day trip within the Midwest. Since the entire distance is easily covered in under an hour, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations or long-haul planning. With a fuel budget of only $3, this is an incredibly economical route to navigate. It serves as a practical connection between the suburban environment of Franklin Park and the urban center of Chicago.

About the Cities

Arriving in Chicago, IL

Full guide →

Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.

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 28m. Total distance: 17.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. Because the highway share is 0%, you will spend your entire time navigating surface streets and local infrastructure. There are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches here; instead, you should prepare for a series of turns that require your full attention. The personality of this road is defined by its stop-and-go nature and urban navigation. You will feel the transition from the quieter streets of Franklin Park into the denser, more complex road network of Chicago throughout the 28-minute trip.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Eisenhower Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 11.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Eisenhower Expressway and 25th Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 25th Avenue.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 17.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (25th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 25th Avenue

Turn right onto 25th Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
4.6 mi into trip | ~8m in | I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway

Merge onto I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
15.7 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor St...
7
15.9 mi into trip | ~24m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
7
16.8 mi into trip | ~25m 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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Eisenhower Expressway 11.1 mi 15m
25th Avenue 4.5 mi 8m
Dan Ryan Expressway 0.8 mi 1m
West Cermak Road 0.2 mi <1m
South Union Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
South Halsted Street 0.1 mi <1m
South Canalport Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Franklin Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Eisenhower Expressway — 11.1 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Franklin Avenue

45 ft · 3 sec · Franklin Avenue
2

Turn right onto 25th Avenue

4.5 mi · 8 min · 25th Avenue
Use the right lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 290 East
4

Merge onto I 290; IL 110

11 mi · 15 min · Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana, Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward I 90 East, I 94 East: Indiana
7

Merge onto I 90; I 94

0.8 mi · 1 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 52C Toward 18th Street Use the slight right lane.
9

Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue

0.2 mi · 30 sec · South Union Avenue
10

Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue

505 ft · 12 sec · South Canalport Avenue
11

Turn left onto South Halsted Street

0.1 mi · 18 sec · South Halsted Street
12

Turn right onto West Cermak Road

0.2 mi · 24 sec · West Cermak Road
13

Turn left

152 ft · 11 sec
14

Turn right

0.2 mi · 58 sec
15

Arrive at destination

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.80 one way

$5.60 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $3.07 $6.15
premium $4.89 $3.44 $6.89
diesel $5.61 $3.95 $7.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.4 0 $1.88 $0.86
Efficient EV 4.5 0 $1.57 $0.72
EV Truck/SUV 7.2 0 $2.51 $1.15

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Franklin Park, IL

Late night in Franklin Park on Saturday

Local time

1:42 AM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chicago, IL

Late night in Chicago on Saturday

Local time

1:42 AM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Widespread Fog

ESE 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 10:12PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 10:12PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

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

24 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

28m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Franklin Park, IL to Chicago, IL covers 17.9 miles and takes about 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Eisenhower Expressway, 25th Avenue, Dan Ryan Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 8.9 miles from Franklin Park, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.80 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 short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 17.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (25th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

The route from Franklin Park, IL to Chicago, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

Chicago, IL to Franklin Park, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

17.3 mi 28m

Explore more options from Franklin Park, IL or browse trips ending in Chicago, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.