The drive from Naperville, IL to Knoxville, IL covers 173 miles and takes about 3h 12m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 80.4 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
86.5 miles from Naperville, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 37m into the drive
.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 12m. Total distance: 173 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (28%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 12m drive with frequent turns across 173 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 80.4 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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near West Diehl Road.
Driving Effort5/10
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 173 miles you will encounter 12 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 1.4 miles (West Diehl Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|West Diehl Road
Turn left onto West Diehl Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.5 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 West: Aurora
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 88 West: Aurora
5
2.9 mi into trip|~6m in|I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
13.9 mi into trip|~19m in|I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 Toll West, IL 47: DeKalb
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 88 Toll West, IL 47: DeKalb
5
173 mi into trip|~3h 12m in|North Market Street
Turn left onto North Market Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
80.4 mi
1h 27m
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
42 mi
45m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
38.9 mi
41m
IL 110
7.1 mi
8m
Mill Street
1.1 mi
2m
Henderson Road
0.8 mi
1m
West Diehl Road
0.6 mi
1m
Winfield Road
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 80.4 mi, about 1h 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Naperville, IL and Knoxville, IL.
1
Start on North Washington Street
50 ft·5 sec·North Washington Street
2
Turn right onto US 34
0.4 mi·45 sec·West Ogden Avenue
3
Turn right onto Mill Street
1.1 mi·2 min·Mill Street
4
Turn left onto West Diehl Road
0.6 mi·1 min·West Diehl Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Winfield Road
0.4 mi·59 sec·Winfield Road
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 88 West: AuroraUse the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
11 mi·12 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110
69 mi·1 hr 14 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Toward I 88 Toll West, IL 47: DeKalbUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 88; IL 110
1.1 mi·1 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
10
Continue on I 88; IL 110
38 mi·40 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Exit 41
11
Continue on I 88; IL 92; IL 110
5.4 mi·5 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
12
Take the exit onto IL 110
7.1 mi·8 min·IL 110
Toward I 80: Peoria
13
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 110
37 mi·39 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward Knoxville
15
Turn right onto CH 9
361 ft·9 sec·Knox Highway 9
16
Continue on CH 9
0.8 mi·1 min·Henderson Road
17
Continue on North Division Street
369 ft·12 sec·North Division Street
18
Turn left onto US 150
0.2 mi·26 sec·West Main Street
19
Turn left onto North Market Street
129 ft·5 sec·North Market Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 86.5 miles from Naperville, IL, or about 1h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 38 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86.5 miles or 1h 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Knoxville, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Naperville, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Naperville, IL
This is one driving day of about 173 miles and 3h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Naperville, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway for about 80.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 86.5 mi from Naperville, IL
· 1h 37m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.05 one way
$54.09 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg61 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$29.70
$59.39
premium
$4.89
$33.29
$66.58
diesel
$5.61
$38.20
$76.39
Estimated Tolls: $4.83
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(80.4 mi)$4.83
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Tolls
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.9
0
$18.17
$8.30
Efficient EV
43.3
0
$15.14
$6.92
EV Truck/SUV
69.2
0
$24.22
$11.07
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (67% 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
Morning
in Naperville on Saturday
Local time
11:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Knoxville, IL
Morning
in Knoxville on Saturday
Local time
11:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Sterling, IL
87 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
1 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
3h 12m 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 Knoxville, IL covers 173 miles and takes about 3h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 86.5 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 $27.05 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 173 miles you will encounter 12 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 1.4 miles (West Diehl Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Naperville, IL to Knoxville, 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.
