Origin
Joliet, IL
Afternoon in Joliet on Thursday
Local time
3:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Joliet, IL to Fairfield, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
54.7 mi
88 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Fairfield, IL
Choco Kitty
Trip Overview
The drive from Joliet, IL to Fairfield, IL covers 54.7 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Veterans Memorial Tollway, IL 53, I 290 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.4 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.55 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 54.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 20m drive with frequent turns across 54.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Veterans Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 24.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.7 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / East Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 30 / East Jefferson Street
Turn left onto US 30 / East Jefferson Street
Navigation decision point
6
9.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Turn left toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
5
9.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
39.7 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 24.4 mi | 29m |
| IL 53 | 8.9 mi | 11m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| South State Street | 4.3 mi | 9m |
| Quentin Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| South Archer Avenue | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Collins Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| North Rand Road | 1.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 24.4 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Fairfield, IL.
1
Start on this road
111 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53
175 ft
·
12 sec
·
Ottawa Street
3
Turn left onto US 30
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
East Jefferson Street
4
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6; US 30
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Street
5
Continue on US 6; US 30
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Collins Street
6
Continue on IL 171
4.3 mi
·
9 min
·
South State Street
7
Continue on IL 171
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South Archer Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 355
24 mi
·
29 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Lake Cook Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 12
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Rand Road
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto V62
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Quentin Road
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto V77
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Old McHenry Road
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
V77
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.4 mi from Joliet, IL · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fairfield, IL
The final approach into Fairfield, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.55 one way
$17.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.39 | $18.78 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.53 | $21.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.08 | $24.15 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.71
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(24.4 mi)
$1.71
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.63 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.66 | $3.50 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Fairfield, IL
Afternoon in Fairfield on Thursday
Local time
3:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°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
23 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
1h 20m 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 Joliet, IL to Fairfield, IL covers 54.7 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Veterans Memorial Tollway, IL 53, I 290. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.4 miles from Joliet, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.55 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.7 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / East Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Joliet, IL to Fairfield, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Fairfield, IL
More trips to Fairfield, IL
Explore more options from Joliet, IL or browse trips ending in Fairfield, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.
Explore maps for Joliet, IL or Fairfield, IL on MapSof.net.