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Trip from Naperville, IL to Richmond, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 23m

Distance

63.7 mi

103 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 17m ★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m

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

Downtown Richmond, IL, IL

Richmond, IL

Kelly

Trip Overview

The drive from Naperville, IL to Richmond, IL covers 63.7 miles and takes about 1h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 12, North Rand Road, Veterans Memorial Tollway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16 miles on US 12. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.96 one way before food or hotel costs.

About the Cities

Starting in Naperville, IL

Full guide →

Naperville is a bedroom community in the Chicagoland area. In 2008, Money magazine ranked Naperville third on its list of the 100 best places to live in the United States.

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 1h 23m. Total distance: 63.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Naperville, IL to Richmond, IL covers 63.7 miles and takes about 1h 23m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 12 is the longest continuous segment at about 16 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 34 / East Ogden Avenue.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 63.7 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: near the start (US 34 / East Ogden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (North Naperville Wheaton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (Naperville Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 34 / East Ogden Avenue

Turn left onto US 34 / East Ogden Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in | North Naperville Wheaton Road

Turn left onto North Naperville Wheaton Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
1.9 mi into trip | ~4m in | Naperville Road

Turn left onto Naperville Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight / right lanes.
7
6.8 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 132 Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
6
23.8 mi into trip | ~32m 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
US 12 16 mi 18m
North Rand Road 14.3 mi 18m
Veterans Memorial Tollway 10.6 mi 13m
IL 53 8.9 mi 11m
I 290 5.6 mi 6m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 4.3 mi 5m
East Ogden Avenue 1.6 mi 3m
Lake Cook Road 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: US 12 — 16 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Naperville, IL and Richmond, IL.

1

Start on North Washington Street

50 ft · 9 sec · North Washington Street
2

Turn left onto US 34

1.6 mi · 3 min · East Ogden Avenue
Use the left lane.
3

Turn left onto North Naperville Wheaton Road

0.3 mi · 39 sec · North Naperville Wheaton Road
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left onto Naperville Road

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Naperville Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward I 88 Toll East: Chicago Use the right lane.
6

Merge onto I 88; IL 110

4.3 mi · 5 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
7

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 132 Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs Use the slight right lane.
8

Merge onto I 355

11 mi · 13 min · Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 290

5.6 mi · 6 min · I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53

8.9 mi · 11 min · IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on Lake Cook Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
12

Continue on US 12

14 mi · 18 min · North Rand Road
Use the right lane.
13

Continue on US 12; IL 59

1.9 mi · 2 min · US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
14

Continue on US 12; IL 59

12 mi · 14 min · US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
15

Continue on US 12

1.7 mi · 2 min · US 12
16

Turn right onto Broadway Street

46 ft · 2 sec · Broadway Street
17

Arrive at destination

Broadway Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 31.9 mi from Naperville, IL · 43m into the drive

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Palatine, IL

32 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

Lombard, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Long Grove, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.9 miles from Naperville, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Richmond, IL

The final approach into Richmond, 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

$9.96 one way

$19.92 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $10.93 $21.87
premium $4.89 $12.26 $24.52
diesel $5.61 $14.06 $28.13

Estimated Tolls: $1.00

Veterans Memorial Tollway (10.6 mi) $0.74
Reagan Memorial Tollway (4.3 mi) $0.26

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

$1

Total

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19.1 0 $6.69 $3.06
Efficient EV 15.9 0 $5.57 $2.55
EV Truck/SUV 25.5 0 $8.92 $4.08

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Naperville, IL

Night in Naperville on Friday

Local time

9:05 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Richmond, IL

Night in Richmond on Friday

Local time

9:05 PM

CDT

Current temp

69°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

18 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 23m 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 Naperville, IL to Richmond, IL covers 63.7 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 12, North Rand Road, Veterans Memorial Tollway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 31.9 miles from Naperville, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.96 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 63.7 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: near the start (US 34 / East Ogden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (North Naperville Wheaton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (Naperville Road): Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Naperville, IL to Richmond, 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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