The drive from Germantown Hills, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 155.3 miles and takes about 3h 19m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 55, Tri-State Tollway, East State Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 90.3 miles on I 55.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.28 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
77.6 miles from Germantown Hills, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 45m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 19m. Total distance: 155.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 19m highway drive covering 155.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 55 and Tri-State Tollway. The longest continuous stretch is about 90.3 miles on I 55.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 55 is the longest continuous segment at about 90.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and Tri-State Tollway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 133.8 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 155.3 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 133.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 140.5 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 152.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
133.8 mi into trip|~2h 48m in
Take the exit toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 277A
Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
6
140.5 mi into trip|~2h 58m in|I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
152.2 mi into trip|~3h 13m 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
152.9 mi into trip|~3h 14m 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
153 mi into trip|~3h 15m 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
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
90.3 mi
1h 41m
Tri-State Tollway
16.6 mi
20m
East State Street
11.8 mi
17m
West Main Street
9.2 mi
14m
East 3100 North Road
7 mi
9m
Boyd Parkway
6.9 mi
10m
Nofsinger Road
3.8 mi
6m
State Route 116
2.4 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 90.3 mi, about 1h 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Germantown Hills, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on IL 116
0.3 mi·33 sec·State Route 116
2
Continue on IL 116
2.2 mi·4 min·State Route 116
3
Turn right onto Nofsinger Road
2.0 mi·3 min·Nofsinger Road
4
At end of road, turn left onto Tazewood Road
73 ft·4 sec·Tazewood Road
5
Turn right onto Nofsinger Road
1.8 mi·3 min·Nofsinger Road
6
Turn left onto US 24
6.9 mi·10 min·Boyd Parkway
7
Continue on US 24
2.0 mi·3 min·West Center Street
8
Continue on US 24
12 mi·17 min·East State Street
9
Continue on US 24
9.2 mi·14 min·West Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on US 24
7.0 mi·9 min·East 3100 North Road
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward I 55 North: Joliet
12
Merge onto I 55
90 mi·1 hr 41 min·I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
1.6 mi·3 min
Exit 277AToward I 294 Tollway North: WisconsinUse the right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
15
Merge onto I 294
4.8 mi·5 min·Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
12 mi·15 min·Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi·15 sec
Exit 42 A-BToward Touhy AvenueUse the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 42 A-BToward Touhy Avenue
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·16 sec
Toward Touhy Avenue WestUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·43 sec
Exit 42BToward Touhy Avenue WestUse the right lane.
21
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
325 ft·7 sec·East Touhy Avenue
22
Turn slight right
339 ft·9 sec
23
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.7 mi·3 min·South Des Plaines River Road
24
Turn left onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi·24 sec·Henry Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 77.6 miles from Germantown Hills, IL, or about 1h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 90.3 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 34 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 77.6 miles or 1h 45m 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 41m
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 Germantown Hills, 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 Germantown Hills, IL
This is one driving day of about 155.3 miles and 3h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Germantown Hills, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 90.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 77.6 mi from Germantown Hills, IL
· 1h 45m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
16 mi from route
~40 min detour
Free
near mile 133.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.28 one way
$48.56 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg54 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$26.66
$53.32
premium
$4.89
$29.89
$59.77
diesel
$5.61
$34.29
$68.58
Estimated Tolls: $0.99
Tri-state Tollway
(16.6 mi)$0.99
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
$24
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 54.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
1 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: fair
Swtch Charging Station
East Peoria, Illinois
Other
1 DCFC
Other: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
46.6
0
$16.31
$7.45
Efficient EV
38.8
0
$13.59
$6.21
EV Truck/SUV
62.1
0
$21.74
$9.94
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 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 14, 2026
Origin
Germantown Hills, IL
Afternoon
in Germantown Hills on Friday
Local time
2:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Des Plaines, IL
Afternoon
in Des Plaines on Friday
Local time
2:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Cloudy then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
SSW 15 mph82% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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
3h 19m 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 Germantown Hills, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 155.3 miles and takes about 3h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 55, Tri-State Tollway, East State Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 77.6 miles from Germantown Hills, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.28 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 155.3 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 133.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 140.5 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 152.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Germantown Hills, IL to Des Plaines, 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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
