Origin
New Athens, IL
Night in New Athens on Wednesday
Local time
9:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Athens, IL to Elgin, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
5h 23m
Distance
335 mi
539 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$52
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 11m
★
6 AM
5h 24m
8 AM
5h 51m
10 AM
5h 33m
12 PM
5h 31m
3 PM
5h 35m
5 PM
5h 49m
8 PM
5h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Athens, IL
Snap Scribe
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from New Athens, IL to Elgin, IL covers 335 miles and takes about 5h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Benton Street, South Van Buren Street, South Illinois Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $52.37 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
167.5 miles from New Athens, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 42m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 23m drive with frequent turns across 335 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Benton Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 23m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Athens, IL to Elgin, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Benton Street | — | — |
| South Van Buren Street | — | — |
| South Illinois Street | — | — |
| Illinois Street | — | — |
| North Illinois Street | — | — |
| South Morrison Avenue | — | — |
| Vandalia Street | — | — |
| I 55 North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Benton Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Athens, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on Chester Street
62 ft
·
8 sec
·
Chester Street
2
Turn left onto North Benton Street
0.5 mi
·
2 min
·
North Benton Street
3
At the end of the road, turn left onto South Van Buren Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
South Van Buren Street
4
Turn right
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
5
Turn straight
15 mi
·
23 min
6
Take the exit slight right
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
7
Turn right onto South Illinois Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Illinois Street
8
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Illinois Street
177 ft
·
4 sec
·
Illinois Street
9
Exit the rotary onto North Illinois Street
9.8 mi
·
15 min
·
North Illinois Street
10
Continue on South Morrison Avenue
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Morrison Avenue
11
Continue on Vandalia Street
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Vandalia Street
12
Take the ramp slight right toward I 55 North, I 70 East
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
I 55 North, I 70 East
13
Merge slight left
3.8 mi
·
4 min
14
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 North, I 270 West: Chicago, Springfield, Kansas City
108 mi
·
1 hr 56 min
·
I 55 North, I 270 West: Chicago, Springfield, Kansas City
15
Keep slight right to continue on I 55 North: Chicago
29 mi
·
31 min
·
I 55 North: Chicago
16
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, Peoria
64 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
·
I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, Peoria
17
Take the exit slight right toward IL 47: Morris, Dwight
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
IL 47: Morris, Dwight
18
Turn left
32 mi
·
38 min
19
Turn right onto Walker Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Walker Road
20
Turn left onto Ashley Road
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Ashley Road
21
At the end of the road, turn right onto East Schoolhouse Road
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
East Schoolhouse Road
22
Turn left onto Minkler Road
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Minkler Road
23
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Minkler Road
125 ft
·
4 sec
·
Minkler Road
24
Exit the roundabout onto Minkler Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Minkler Road
25
Continue on Orchard Road
11 mi
·
18 min
·
Orchard Road
26
Turn left onto South Randall Road
10 mi
·
17 min
·
South Randall Road
27
Turn right onto Silver Glen Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Silver Glen Road
28
At the end of the road, turn left
6.1 mi
·
11 min
29
Turn right onto East Chicago Street
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
East Chicago Street
30
Arrive at your destination
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 167.5 miles from New Athens, IL, or about 2h 42m into the drive.
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 74 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 167.5 miles or 2h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elgin, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving New Athens, 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 New Athens, IL
This is one driving day of about 335 miles and 5h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 74 miles from New Athens, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 167.5 mi from New Athens, IL · 2h 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
168 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 74 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 167.5 miles from New Athens, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elgin, IL
The final approach into Elgin, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Elgin, IL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$52.37 one way
$104.75 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
117 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $57.50 | $115.01 |
| premium | $4.89 | $64.47 | $128.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $73.96 | $147.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 117.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 100.5 | 1 | $35.18 | $16.08 |
| Efficient EV | 83.8 | 0 | $29.31 | $13.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 134 | 1 | $46.90 | $21.44 |
Gas CO2
117 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Night in Elgin on Wednesday
Local time
9:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Bloomington, IL
168 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
7 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
5h 23m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from New Athens, IL to Elgin, IL covers 335 miles and takes about 5h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Benton Street, South Van Buren Street, South Illinois Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 167.5 miles from New Athens, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $52.37 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 23m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from New Athens, IL to Elgin, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from New Athens, IL to Elgin, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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