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Trip from Northbrook, IL to Plainfield, IL

Drive Time

1h 7m

Distance

48.7 mi

78 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Northbrook, IL, IL

Northbrook, IL

Mike Tyurin

Downtown Plainfield, IL, IL

Plainfield, IL

Choco Kitty

Trip Overview

The drive from Northbrook, IL to Plainfield, IL covers 48.7 miles and takes about 1h 7m 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, East Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.3 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.40 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

24.4 miles from Northbrook, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 33m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Northbrook, IL to Plainfield, IL covers 48.7 miles and takes about 1h 7m, 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 19 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 24.3 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 around 1.6 miles in near Willow Road.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 48.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (Willow Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 27.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

6
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in | Willow Road

Turn right onto Willow Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
3.7 mi into trip | ~6m in

Turn left toward I 294 Toll South: Indiana

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 294 Toll South: Indiana
6
27.2 mi into trip | ~36m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29.1 mi into trip | ~39m in

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

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
7
44.9 mi into trip | ~1h in

Take the exit toward IL 126 West: Plainfield

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 261 Toward IL 126 West: Plainfield

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Northbrook, IL to Plainfield, IL, road signs begin pointing toward St. Louis along the way.

St. Louis

28.4 mi in | ~38m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tri-State Tollway 24.3 mi 30m
Adlai Stevenson Expressway 15.4 mi 20m
East Main Street 2.3 mi 3m
Willow Road 2 mi 3m
Shermer Road 1.5 mi 2m
North Division Street 0.9 mi 1m
Michigan Street <0.1 mi <1m
West Hazelcrest Drive <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Tri-State Tollway — 24.3 mi, about 30m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Northbrook, IL and Plainfield, IL.

1

Start on this road

298 ft · 27 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto 1st Street

294 ft · 15 sec · 1st Street
3

Turn left onto Walters Avenue

121 ft · 8 sec · Walters Avenue
4

Turn right onto Shermer Road

1.5 mi · 2 min · Shermer Road
5

Turn right onto Willow Road

2.0 mi · 3 min · Willow Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Turn left

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 294 Toll South: Indiana Use the left lane.
7

Merge onto I 294

18 mi · 23 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294

4.8 mi · 5 min · Tri-State Tollway
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 294

1.2 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 23 Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 56 sec
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis Use the slight right lane.
12

Merge onto I 55

15 mi · 20 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 42 sec
Exit 261 Toward IL 126 West: Plainfield Use the slight right lane.
14

Continue on IL 126

2.3 mi · 3 min · East Main Street
Use the left lane.
15

Turn right onto Michigan Street

439 ft · 22 sec · Michigan Street
16

Turn left onto South Naperville Road

91 ft · 8 sec · South Naperville Road
17

Turn right onto US 30; IL 59

0.9 mi · 1 min · North Division Street
18

Turn left onto West Hazelcrest Drive

350 ft · 15 sec · West Hazelcrest Drive
Use the left lane.
19

Arrive at destination

West Hazelcrest Drive

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 24.4 miles from Northbrook, IL, or about 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.3 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 48.7 miles or 1h 7m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 24.4 miles or 33m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 56m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Plainfield, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Northbrook, 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 Northbrook, IL

This is one driving day of about 48.7 miles and 1h 7m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Northbrook, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Tri-State Tollway for about 24.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 24.4 mi from Northbrook, IL · 33m into the drive

Downtown Berwyn, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Berwyn, IL

24 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

Joliet, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 48.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Berwyn, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.4 miles from Northbrook, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Plainfield, IL

The final approach into Plainfield, 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 Plainfield, IL.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

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...

16 mi from route ~41 min detour Free near mile 28.6
Caution: Road Construction Near the Park
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.40 one way

$14.79 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $8.15 $16.31
premium $4.80 $9.19 $18.39
diesel $5.64 $10.82 $21.64

Estimated Tolls: $1.45

Tri-state Tollway (24.3 mi) $1.45

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

$7

Tolls

$1

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$34–$59

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.6 0 $5.11 $2.34
Efficient EV 12.2 0 $4.26 $1.95
EV Truck/SUV 19.5 0 $6.82 $3.12

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Northbrook, IL

Morning in Northbrook on Monday

Local time

6:13 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Plainfield, IL

Morning in Plainfield on Monday

Local time

6:13 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

5 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

1h 7m 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 Northbrook, IL to Plainfield, IL covers 48.7 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Adlai Stevenson Expressway, East Main Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.4 miles from Northbrook, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.40 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 is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 48.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (Willow Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 27.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Northbrook, IL to Plainfield, IL, road signs begin pointing toward St. Louis along the way.

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