Origin
Glen Ellyn, IL
Morning in Glen Ellyn on Saturday
Local time
10:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glen Ellyn, IL to Elgin, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
18.8 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glen Ellyn, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Glen Ellyn to Elgin is 18.8 miles and takes about 32 minutes via West Lake Street, Bloomingdale Road, and Villa Street, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Illinois, making it a convenient local journey. The profile suggests a 'turn-heavy local drive,' so expect to navigate through towns and suburbs rather than cruising on open highways. Given its brief duration and lack of overnight stay recommendation, this route is perfect for a quick errand or a short excursion, offering flexibility in your schedule.
About the Cities
Starting in Glen Ellyn, IL
Full guide →Founded 1834
Glen Ellyn is a village in the Chicagoland area. This village has an interesting history filled with its ups and downs. However, today Glen Ellyn remains an affluent Chicago suburb with an abundance of historic sites and an exceptional dining scene.
Top landmarks
- • Glen Ellyn Downtown South Historic District — historic district in Illinois, United States
- • Lake Ellyn Park — park in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Arriving in Elgin, IL
Full guide →Founded 1854
Elgin is a city in Chicagoland known for its Victorian architecture and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
Top landmarks
- • Elgin Tower Building — building in Illinois, United States
- • Elgin Downtown Commercial District
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 32m. Total distance: 18.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m 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 with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This drive is characterized by its 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, with no highway miles to speak of, meaning you'll be navigating city streets and local roads for the entire 18.8 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.5 miles along West Lake Street. As you progress, expect the road to wind through various suburban landscapes, requiring your attention at numerous intersections. This isn't a route for setting cruise control; instead, it's about being engaged with the local traffic and road network as you make your way from Glen Ellyn to Elgin.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Lake Street is the longest continuous segment at about 8.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near IL 64 / North Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 32m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (IL 64 / North Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (Bloomingdale Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles (US 20 / West Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
IL 64 / North Avenue
Turn left onto IL 64 / North Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Bloomingdale Road
Turn right onto Bloomingdale Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
6.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 20 / West Lake Street
Turn left onto US 20 / West Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
16.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
Villa Street
Turn slight left onto Villa Street toward Villa Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Villa Street
5
18.7 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
East Chicago Street
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Lake Street | 8.5 mi | 12m |
| Bloomingdale Road | 3.8 mi | 7m |
| Villa Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| North Main Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| North Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Lake Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Chicago Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Lake Street
— 8.5 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glen Ellyn, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on Pennsylvania Avenue
73 ft
·
7 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
2
Turn left onto North Main Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
North Main Street
3
Turn left onto IL 64
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Bloomingdale Road
3.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Bloomingdale Road
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto US 20
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
West Lake Street
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on US 20
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Street
7
Continue on US 20
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
West Lake Street
8
Continue on US 20
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
9
Turn slight left onto Villa Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Villa Street
Toward Villa Street
Use the slight left lane.
10
Turn left
311 ft
·
28 sec
11
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
12
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.94 one way
$5.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.23 | $6.45 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.62 | $7.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.15 | $8.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Elgin, IL
Morning in Elgin on Saturday
Local time
10:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
2 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
32m 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 Glen Ellyn, IL to Elgin, IL covers 18.8 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Lake Street, Bloomingdale Road, Villa Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.4 miles from Glen Ellyn, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.94 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 straightforward 32m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (IL 64 / North Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (Bloomingdale Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles (US 20 / West Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Glen Ellyn, IL to Elgin, 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.
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