Origin
Palatine, IL
Morning in Palatine on Friday
Local time
9:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palatine, IL to Oak Park, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
27.2 mi
44 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Oak Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Palatine, IL to Oak Park, IL covers 27.2 miles and takes about 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 290, IL 53, Hicks Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.5 miles on I 290. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.25 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 27.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 40m highway drive covering 27.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 290 and IL 53. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.5 miles on I 290.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 290 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 290 and IL 53. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Hicks Road.
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 10 decision points packed into just 27.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Hicks Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Hicks Road
Turn right onto Hicks Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53 toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
7
9.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 290
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
7
25.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward IL 43: Harlem Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 21B
Toward IL 43: Harlem Avenue
6
27 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
South Ridgeland Avenue
Turn left onto South Ridgeland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 290 | 15.5 mi | 20m |
| IL 53 | 7.9 mi | 10m |
| Hicks Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Washington Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| South Harlem Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Northwest Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Ridgeland Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Palatine Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 15.5 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palatine, IL and Oak Park, IL.
1
Start on East Palatine Road
73 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Palatine Road
2
Turn right onto US 14
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
East Northwest Highway
3
Turn right onto Hicks Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Hicks Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto Euclid Avenue
66 ft
·
1 sec
·
Euclid Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward IL 53 South
6
Merge onto IL 53
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 53
7
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
IL 53
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
15 mi
·
20 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 21B
Toward IL 43: Harlem Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Turn left onto IL 43
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Harlem Avenue
11
Turn right onto Washington Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Boulevard
12
Turn left onto South Ridgeland Avenue
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
South Ridgeland Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
South Ridgeland Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.25 one way
$8.50 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.67 | $9.34 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.23 | $10.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.01 | $12.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Oak Park, IL
Morning in Oak Park on Friday
Local time
9:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
18 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
40m 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 Palatine, IL to Oak Park, IL covers 27.2 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 290, IL 53, Hicks Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.6 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 $4.25 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 10 decision points packed into just 27.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Hicks Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Palatine, IL to Oak Park, 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.
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