Origin
Oak Park, IL
Late night in Oak Park on Friday
Local time
5:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oak Park, IL to Aurora, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
34.2 mi
55 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Oak Park, IL to Aurora, IL is 34.2 miles and takes about 49m via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway/Eisenhower Expressway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, manageable trip entirely within the Midwest region of Illinois. Expect a drive with a fair amount of turns as you navigate local roads mixed with expressway travel. With a travel time under an hour, this route is ideal for a quick day trip or a convenient transfer between two points in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. It’s a straightforward journey with minimal time commitment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 34.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m 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
This drive is characterized by its frequent turns, indicating a route that weaves through local streets more than it sticks to a single highway. While 15% of the journey utilizes highways like the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway and Eisenhower Expressway, you'll spend a significant portion navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 23.9 miles on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, offering a brief period of consistent speed before you transition back to more varied driving. The profile suggests a dynamic route, requiring attention as you switch between faster highway segments and the more stop-and-go nature of local streets.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 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 23.9 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 1.3 miles in near IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 34.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue
Turn left onto IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
1.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 290 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 290 West
9
7 mi into trip
|
~12m 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 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
8.9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
30.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oak Park, IL and Aurora, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Indiana
7 mi in
|
~12m
|
via I 88; IL 110
22Nd Street (Cermak Road)
8.9 mi in
|
~14m
|
via I 88; IL 110
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 23.9 mi | 29m |
| Eisenhower Expressway | 5 mi | 6m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Washington Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| South Harlem Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Ridgeland Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Galena Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 23.9 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Park, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on South Ridgeland Avenue
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Ridgeland Avenue
2
Turn right onto Washington Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Boulevard
3
Turn left onto IL 43
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Harlem Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 290 West
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Use the slight left lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
22 mi
·
26 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Use the right lane.
9
Turn right onto IL 31
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
10
Continue on IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
11
Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
12
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.1 mi from Oak Park, IL · 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from Oak Park, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Aurora, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Aurora, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.35 one way
$10.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.87 | $11.74 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.58 | $13.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.55 | $15.10 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.43
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(23.9 mi)
$1.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.59 | $1.64 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $2.99 | $1.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Aurora, IL
Late night in Aurora on Friday
Local time
5:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
49m 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 Oak Park, IL to Aurora, IL covers 34.2 miles and takes about 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Eisenhower Expressway, North Lake Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.1 miles from Oak Park, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.35 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 short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 34.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Oak Park, IL and Aurora, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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