Origin
Palatine, IL
Morning in Palatine on Saturday
Local time
8:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palatine, IL to River Forest, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
23.4 mi
38 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 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
River Forest, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 23.4-mile drive from Palatine, IL to River Forest, IL is designed for a single day, taking approximately 37 minutes to complete. Primarily utilizing major roadways like IL 53, I-290, and US 20, this route is characterized by its highway focus. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, it's an economical trip for anyone looking to cover short distances efficiently within the Midwest region. You won't need an overnight stop for this short journey, making it a convenient option for a quick transit.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 23.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this trip, with 82% of the journey on high-speed roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.9 miles along IL 53, offering a consistent pace. While the route is predominantly highway, it provides a practical and direct path between these two Illinois communities. The character is less about scenic detours and more about efficient travel, making it a reliable choice for getting from point A to point B.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
IL 53 is the longest continuous segment at about 7.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IL 53 and I 290. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near IL 53.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 23.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 16.9 miles (US 20): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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
8
16.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
US 20
Take the exit onto US 20 toward US 20 East, IL 64 East, I 294 North: Milwaukee, Truck Route
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 13A
Toward US 20 East, IL 64 East, I 294 North: Mil...
6
17.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
21 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
North 17th Avenue
Turn left onto North 17th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Palatine, IL to River Forest, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Truck Route along the way.
Truck Route
16.9 mi in
|
~23m
|
via US 20
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| IL 53 | 7.9 mi | 10m |
| I 290 | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| US 20 | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Chicago Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Hicks Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Augusta Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| East Northwest Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Thatcher Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
IL 53
— 7.9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palatine, IL and River Forest, 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
7.2 mi
·
9 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit onto US 20
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
US 20
Exit 13A
Toward US 20 East, IL 64 East, I 294 North: Milwaukee, Truck Route
Use the right lane.
10
Turn slight right onto US 20
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
US 20
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
US 20
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto North 17th Avenue
140 ft
·
4 sec
·
North 17th Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto Chicago Avenue
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Chicago Avenue
14
Turn left onto Thatcher Avenue
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Thatcher Avenue
15
Turn right onto Augusta Street
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Augusta Street
16
Arrive at destination
Augusta Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.66 one way
$7.32 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.02 | $8.03 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.50 | $9.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.17 | $10.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.05 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
River Forest, IL
Morning in River Forest on Saturday
Local time
8:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
37m 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 River Forest, IL covers 23.4 miles and takes about 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are IL 53, I 290, US 20. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.7 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 $3.66 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 13 decision points packed into just 23.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 16.9 miles (US 20): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Palatine, IL to River Forest, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Truck Route along the way.
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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