Trip from Markham, IL to Darien, IL

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Kedzie Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 11.7 miles from Markham, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.64 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Q: Are there national parks near the route from Markham, IL to Darien, IL?

Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

33m

Distance

23.3 mi

38 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min

4 AM

0h 31m ★

6 AM

0h 34m

8 AM

0h 40m

10 AM

0h 36m

12 PM

0h 35m

3 PM

0h 36m

5 PM

0h 39m

8 PM

0h 32m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Trip Overview

The drive from Markham, IL to Darien, IL covers 23.3 miles and takes about 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Tri-State Tollway, Adlai Stevenson Expressway, Kedzie Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.4 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.64 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 23.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

33m 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 33m drive with frequent turns across 23.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 14.4 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 around 2.7 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 23.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 17.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7

2.7 mi into trip | ~4m in

Turn left toward I 294 North: Wisconsin

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Exit 8 Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin

8

17.6 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward I 55 South: Wolf Road, Saint Louis

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Exit 23B Toward I 55 South: Wolf Road, Saint Louis

7

17.7 mi into trip | ~24m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

8

20.8 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward IL 83 North, IL 83 South: Kingery Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 274 Toward IL 83 North, IL 83 South: Kingery Road

8

20.9 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight right at fork toward IL 83 North: Kingery Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward IL 83 North: Kingery Road

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Markham, IL to Darien, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Saint Louis along the way.

Saint Louis

17.6 mi in | ~23m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Tri-State Tollway	14.4 mi	17m
Adlai Stevenson Expressway	2.7 mi	3m
Kedzie Avenue	2.3 mi	4m
75th Street	1.5 mi	2m
Kingery Highway	0.5 mi	<1m
West 147th Street	0.4 mi	<1m
Cass Avenue	0.1 mi	<1m
163rd Street	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Tri-State Tollway — 14.4 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Markham, IL and Darien, IL.

1

Start on 163rd Street

64 ft · 10 sec · 163rd Street

2

Turn left onto Kedzie Avenue

2.3 mi · 4 min · Kedzie Avenue

3

Turn right onto IL 83

0.4 mi · 38 sec · West 147th Street

Use the straight lane.

4

Turn left

0.6 mi · 1 min

Exit 8 Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin Use the left lane.

5

Merge onto I 294

14 mi · 17 min · Tri-State Tollway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

6

Take the exit

449 ft · 11 sec

Exit 23B Toward I 55 South: Wolf Road, Saint Louis Use the right lane.

7

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 48 sec

Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis Use the straight / right lanes.

8

Merge onto I 55

2.7 mi · 3 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway

9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 19 sec

Exit 274 Toward IL 83 North, IL 83 South: Kingery Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.

10

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 35 sec

Toward IL 83 North: Kingery Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.

11

Merge onto IL 83

0.5 mi · 45 sec · Kingery Highway

Use the left lane.

12

Turn left onto 75th Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · 75th Street

13

Turn right onto Cass Avenue

356 ft · 34 sec · Cass Avenue

Use the right lane.

14

Continue on Cass Avenue

332 ft · 8 sec · Cass Avenue

15

Arrive at destination

Cass Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.64 one way

$7.29 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$4.00	$8.00
premium	$4.89	$4.48	$8.97
diesel	$5.61	$5.14	$10.29

Estimated Tolls: $0.86

Tri-state Tollway (14.4 mi) $0.86

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Tolls

$1

Total

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	7	$2.45	$1.12
Efficient EV	5.8	$2.04	$0.93
EV Truck/SUV	9.3	$3.26	$1.49

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Markham, IL

Night in Markham on Thursday

Local time

9:00 PM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Darien, IL

Night in Darien on Thursday

Local time

9:00 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°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

17 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

33m 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 Markham, IL to Darien, IL covers 23.3 miles and takes about 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.