Origin
Lemont, IL
Morning in Lemont on Saturday
Local time
11:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lemont, 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
55m
Distance
39.3 mi
63 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lemont, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 39.3-mile drive from Lemont, IL to Elgin, IL is a straightforward one-day trip, taking about 55 minutes. You'll primarily navigate local roads, including Veterans Memorial Tollway and Lake Street, with no highway driving. With an estimated fuel cost of $6, this is an economical option for a quick excursion within the Midwest. The route is designed for a single day, so you won't need to worry about overnight stays. It's a practical choice for a short, focused journey between these Illinois communities.
About the Cities
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 55m. Total distance: 39.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, as indicated by its 0% highway share. While the longest uninterrupted stretch is 21.4 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway, much of this trip involves navigating through various local streets. This means you'll experience a more connected, in-town feel for a significant portion of the journey, rather than long, open highway stretches. The road character will likely shift as you move between different suburban areas, requiring your attention to local traffic patterns and turns.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 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 21.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Lockport Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39.3 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 0.1 miles (Lockport Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (127th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Lockport Street
Turn left onto Lockport Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
127th Street
Turn right onto 127th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~4m 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.
7
24.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward US 20: Lake Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 31
Toward US 20: Lake Street
5
24.6 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 21.4 mi | 26m |
| Lake Street | 6.6 mi | 11m |
| West Lake Street | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Villa Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| State Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| 127th Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Illinois Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 21.4 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lemont, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on West New Avenue
481 ft
·
14 sec
·
West New Avenue
2
Turn left onto Lockport Street
138 ft
·
2 sec
·
Lockport Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn slight left onto East Illinois Street
490 ft
·
12 sec
·
East Illinois Street
4
Turn right onto State Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
5
Turn right onto 127th Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
127th Street
Use the right lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 Toll North: West Suburbs
7
Merge onto I 355
21 mi
·
26 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 31
Toward US 20: Lake Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn left
113 ft
·
4 sec
Use the left lane.
10
Turn straight onto US 20
5.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Lake Street
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on US 20
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Street
12
Continue on US 20
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
West Lake Street
13
Continue on US 20
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
14
Turn slight left onto Villa Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Villa Street
Toward Villa Street
Use the slight left lane.
15
Turn left
311 ft
·
28 sec
16
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
17
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.6 mi from Lemont, IL · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.6 miles from Lemont, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elgin, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Elgin, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.14 one way
$12.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.75 | $13.49 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.56 | $15.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.68 | $17.35 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.49
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(21.4 mi)
$1.49
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.50 | $2.52 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
11:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 to 20 mph
100% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 17 at 11:24PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 17 at 11:24PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
71°F
Bloomingdale, IL
20 mi in
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
26 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
55m 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 Lemont, IL to Elgin, IL covers 39.3 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Veterans Memorial Tollway, Lake Street, West Lake Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.6 miles from Lemont, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.14 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 39.3 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 0.1 miles (Lockport Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (127th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Lemont, 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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