Origin
Palatine, IL
Afternoon in Palatine on Sunday
Local time
2:02 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palatine, IL to Alton, IL
Drive Time
5h 34m
Distance
289.9 mi
467 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$44
one way
Palatine, IL
Claudia Solano
Alton, IL
Samuele Pellegrino
Trip Overview
The drive from Palatine, IL to Alton, IL covers 289.9 miles and takes about 5h 34m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Northwest Highway, Hicks Road, Euclid Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.03 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
145 miles from Palatine, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 47m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 34m drive with frequent turns across 289.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Northwest Highway 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 34m 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 Palatine, IL to Alton, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Northwest Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Hicks Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Euclid Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| IL 53 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 290 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 355 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 55 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Joliet Road South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
East Northwest Highway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palatine, IL and Alton, IL.
1
Start on East Palatine Road
72 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Palatine Road
2
Turn right onto East Northwest Highway
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
East Northwest Highway
3
Turn right onto Hicks Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Hicks Road
4
Turn left onto Euclid Avenue
66 ft
·
1 sec
·
Euclid Avenue
5
Take the ramp slight right toward IL 53 South
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
IL 53 South
6
Merge slight left
0.9 mi
·
1 min
7
Keep slight left to continue on I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
8
Keep slight left to continue on I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
20 mi
·
25 min
·
I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
10
Keep slight left to continue on Joliet Road South
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Joliet Road South
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis
12
Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway
112 mi
·
2 hr 2 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
13
Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
65 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
14
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis
63 mi
·
1 hr 7 min
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis
15
Take the exit slight right toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
IL 140: Alton, Greenville
16
Turn right onto East State Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East State Street
17
Continue on State Route 140
9.6 mi
·
13 min
·
State Route 140
18
Continue on East Bethalto Drive
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
East Bethalto Drive
19
Continue on East MacArthur Drive
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East MacArthur Drive
20
Continue on West Macarthur Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Macarthur Drive
21
Continue on College Avenue
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
College Avenue
22
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward College Avenue
397 ft
·
8 sec
·
College Avenue
23
Exit the roundabout onto College Avenue
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
College Avenue
24
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Drive
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Drive
25
Continue on Piasa Street
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Piasa Street
26
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
West 3rd Street
27
Turn right onto Alby Street
118 ft
·
5 sec
·
Alby Street
28
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 145 miles from Palatine, IL, or about 2h 47m 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 80 miles or 1h 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 145 miles or 2h 47m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alton, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palatine, 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 Palatine, IL
This is one driving day of about 289.9 miles and 5h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Palatine, 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 145 mi from Palatine, IL · 2h 47m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
145 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 145 miles from Palatine, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Alton, IL
The final approach into Alton, 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 Alton, 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
$44.03 one way
$88.07 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
101 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $48.54 | $97.08 |
| premium | $4.80 | $54.73 | $109.45 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $64.41 | $128.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 101.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 87 | 1 | $30.44 | $13.92 |
| Efficient EV | 72.5 | 0 | $25.37 | $11.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 116 | 1 | $40.59 | $18.55 |
Gas CO2
101 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (66% 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
Alton, IL
Afternoon in Alton on Sunday
Local time
2:02 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
53°F
Bloomington, IL
145 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
12 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
5h 34m 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 Palatine, IL to Alton, IL covers 289.9 miles and takes about 5h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Northwest Highway, Hicks Road, Euclid Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 145 miles from Palatine, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $44.03 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 34m 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 Palatine, IL to Alton, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Palatine, IL to Alton, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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