Origin
Galena, IL
Night in Galena on Tuesday
Local time
10:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Galena, IL to Elmhurst, IL
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
2h 40m
Distance
151.7 mi
244 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$24
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 30m
★
6 AM
2h 41m
8 AM
3h 2m
10 AM
2h 48m
12 PM
2h 46m
3 PM
2h 49m
5 PM
3h 1m
8 PM
2h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Galena, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elmhurst, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Galena, IL to Elmhurst, IL covers 151.7 miles and takes about 2h 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Bench Street, Decatur Street, U for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.72 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
75.8 miles from Galena, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 20m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 40m drive with frequent turns across 151.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Bench 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.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Galena, IL to Elmhurst, IL is easy. At 2h 40m 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 Galena, IL to Elmhurst, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Bench Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Decatur Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| U | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Madison Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Diagonal Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Woodbine Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West North Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
South Bench Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Galena, IL and Elmhurst, IL.
1
Start on South Bench Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Bench Street
2
At the end of the road, turn right onto South Bench Street
105 ft
·
11 sec
·
South Bench Street
3
Turn left onto Decatur Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Decatur Street
4
Continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
13 mi
·
17 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
5
Continue on Madison Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Madison Street
6
Continue on West Diagonal Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
West Diagonal Street
7
Continue on North Main Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
8
Continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
9
Continue on East Woodbine Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Woodbine Street
10
Continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
11
Continue on West North Avenue
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West North Avenue
12
Continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
33 mi
·
41 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
13
Continue on West State Road
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
West State Road
14
Continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
14 mi
·
16 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
15
Continue straight
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
16
Take the exit slight right toward I 90 East: Chicago
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 90 East: Chicago
17
Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
20 mi
·
21 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
18
Keep slight left to continue on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
30 mi
·
31 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
19
Take the exit slight right toward I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs
20
Keep slight right to continue on I 290 East, IL 53 South: Chicago, West Suburbs
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
I 290 East, IL 53 South: Chicago, West Suburbs
21
Continue on I 290 East, IL 53 South: Chicago, West Suburbs
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 290 East, IL 53 South: Chicago, West Suburbs
22
Merge slight left
5.7 mi
·
7 min
23
Keep slight right to continue on I 290 East: Chicago
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
I 290 East: Chicago
24
Take the exit slight right toward York Road
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
York Road
25
Turn left onto North York Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North York Street
26
Turn right onto West 2nd Street
335 ft
·
9 sec
·
West 2nd Street
27
Keep slight left to continue on West 2nd Street
128 ft
·
9 sec
·
West 2nd Street
28
At the end of the road, turn left onto North Addison Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Addison Avenue
29
Turn right onto Cottage Hill Avenue
230 ft
·
13 sec
·
Cottage Hill Avenue
30
Turn left onto West Park Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Park Avenue
31
Turn sharp left
66 ft
·
5 sec
32
Arrive at your 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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 75.8 miles from Galena, IL, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 75.8 miles or 1h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elmhurst, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Galena, 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 Galena, IL
This is one driving day of about 151.7 miles and 2h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Galena, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 75.8 mi from Galena, IL · 1h 20m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
76 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 75.8 miles from Galena, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elmhurst, IL
The final approach into Elmhurst, 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 Elmhurst, IL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.72 one way
$47.43 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
53 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $26.04 | $52.08 |
| premium | $4.89 | $29.19 | $58.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $33.49 | $66.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 45.5 | 0 | $15.93 | $7.28 |
| Efficient EV | 37.9 | 0 | $13.27 | $6.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 60.7 | 0 | $21.24 | $9.71 |
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (66% 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
Elmhurst, IL
Night in Elmhurst on Tuesday
Local time
10:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°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
11 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
2h 40m 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 Galena, IL to Elmhurst, IL covers 151.7 miles and takes about 2h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Bench Street, Decatur Street, U. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 75.8 miles from Galena, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.72 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Galena, IL to Elmhurst, IL is easy. At 2h 40m 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 Galena, IL to Elmhurst, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Galena, IL to Elmhurst, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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