Origin
Lombard, IL
Morning in Lombard on Saturday
Local time
11:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lombard, 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
36m
Distance
21.2 mi
34 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 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lombard, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lombard to Elgin is 21.2 miles and takes about 36 minutes via Lake Street, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily within the Midwest's Illinois landscape. Expect a local drive with frequent turns, making it less about covering distance quickly and more about navigating neighborhood streets. Given its short duration and minimal highway use, it's an easy excursion for a single day, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule.
About the Cities
Starting in Lombard, IL
Full guide →Founded 1869
Lombard is a suburb of Chicago in Illinois and is considered part of Chicagoland. Lombard is a small town with a tight-knit community built around its high schools and the downtown Lombard culture. Residents of Lombard are very friendly and familial and willing to guide tourists to various locations in Chicago and Chicagoland.
Top landmarks
- • First Church of Lombard — historic building in Lombard, IL, USA
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 36m. Total distance: 21.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with a 0% highway share. You'll spend your time navigating suburban streets, primarily using Lake Street, West Lake Street, and Villa Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.6 miles on Lake Street, after which you can anticipate more frequent intersections and directional changes. The driving experience will feel very much like moving through a series of connected towns rather than a high-speed transit corridor.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lake Street is the longest continuous segment at about 6.6 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 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 21.2 miles you will encounter 8 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 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
7
6 mi into trip
|
~11m 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
6.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
18.6 mi into trip
|
~31m 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
21.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
East Chicago Street
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Street | 6.6 mi | 11m |
| West Lake Street | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Villa Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| South Grace Street | 1.7 mi | 5m |
| North Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Chicago Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Lake Street
— 6.6 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lombard, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on South Grace Street
1.7 mi
·
5 min
·
South Grace Street
2
Turn left onto IL 64
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 355
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 31
Toward US 20: Lake Street
Use the slight right lane.
6
Turn left
113 ft
·
4 sec
Use the left lane.
7
Turn straight onto US 20
5.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Lake Street
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on US 20
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Street
9
Continue on US 20
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
West Lake Street
10
Continue on US 20
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
11
Turn slight left onto Villa Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Villa Street
Toward Villa Street
Use the slight left lane.
12
Turn left
311 ft
·
28 sec
13
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
14
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.31 one way
$6.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.64 | $7.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.08 | $8.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.68 | $9.36 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.17
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(2.4 mi)
$0.17
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.4 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 | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.85 | $0.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
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
11:17 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
36m 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 Lombard, IL to Elgin, IL covers 21.2 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lake Street, West Lake Street, Villa Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.6 miles from Lombard, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.31 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 21.2 miles you will encounter 8 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 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Lombard, 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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