Origin
Palatine, IL
Afternoon in Palatine on Wednesday
Local time
1:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palatine, IL to Shields, IL
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
6h 2m
Distance
286.6 mi
461 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$45
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 49m
★
6 AM
6h 2m
8 AM
6h 28m
10 AM
6h 11m
12 PM
6h 9m
3 PM
6h 13m
5 PM
6h 27m
8 PM
5h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palatine, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Shields, IL
Fernando Cortés
Trip Overview
The drive from Palatine, IL to Shields, IL covers 286.6 miles and takes about 6h 2m 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 $44.81 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
143.3 miles from Palatine, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 1m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 2m drive with frequent turns across 286.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 50 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
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 2m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Palatine, IL to Shields, 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 88 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Tri-State Tollway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Mile-Long Bridge | 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 Shields, 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 right to continue on I 290 East: Chicago
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
I 290 East: Chicago
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
10
Continue on Tri-State Tollway
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
11
Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
12
Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway
138 ft
·
2 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
13
Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
14
Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
15
Continue on Mile-Long Bridge
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mile-Long Bridge
16
Continue on Tri-State Tollway
8.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
17
Take the exit slight right toward IL 50 South, IL 83: Cicero Avenue, 127th Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
IL 50 South, IL 83: Cicero Avenue, 127th Street
18
Keep slight left to continue on IL 50 South: Cicero Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 50 South: Cicero Avenue
19
Turn straight onto Cicero Avenue
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Cicero Avenue
20
Turn left onto 167th Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
167th Street
21
Take the ramp slight right toward I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80
22
Merge slight left
183 mi
·
3 hr 18 min
23
Take the exit slight right toward US 45: Sigel, Effingham
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
US 45: Sigel, Effingham
24
Turn left
1.9 mi
·
2 min
25
Turn right onto East Fayette Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
East Fayette Avenue
26
Turn left onto South Banker Street
15 mi
·
22 min
·
South Banker Street
27
Continue on County Road 925 East
16 mi
·
24 min
·
County Road 925 East
28
Turn slight right
128 ft
·
5 sec
29
Merge slight left
7.5 mi
·
8 min
30
Turn left onto Xenia Iola Road
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Xenia Iola Road
31
Continue on Church Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Church Street
32
Continue on Front Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Front Street
33
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
South Main Street
34
Keep slight left to continue on South Main Street
190 ft
·
5 sec
·
South Main Street
35
Continue on Fairfield Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Fairfield Street
36
Continue on Fairfield Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Fairfield Road
37
Continue on County Highway 13
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
County Highway 13
38
Continue on County Road 300E
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road 300E
39
Keep slight right to continue on County Highway 13
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
County Highway 13
40
Continue on County Road 250E
4.8 mi
·
11 min
·
County Road 250E
41
Continue on County Highway 13
3.2 mi
·
7 min
·
County Highway 13
42
Turn right onto County Road 1420N
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road 1420N
43
Continue on County Road 1430N
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
County Road 1430N
44
Continue on County Highway 15
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
County Highway 15
45
Continue on County Road 1450N
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road 1450N
46
Continue on County Highway 15
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
County Highway 15
47
Continue on East Depeche Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Depeche Road
48
Turn slight right onto 2350 North
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
2350 North
49
Turn left onto North Papertown Lane
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Papertown Lane
50
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 143.3 miles from Palatine, IL, or about 3h 1m 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 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 143.3 miles or 3h 1m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Shields, 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 286.6 miles and 6h 2m.
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 143.3 mi from Palatine, IL · 3h 1m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
143 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 143.3 miles from Palatine, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Shields, IL
The final approach into Shields, 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 Shields, 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
$44.81 one way
$89.61 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
100 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $49.20 | $98.39 |
| premium | $4.89 | $55.15 | $110.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $63.28 | $126.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 86 | 1 | $30.09 | $13.76 |
| Efficient EV | 71.7 | 0 | $25.08 | $11.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 114.6 | 1 | $40.12 | $18.34 |
Gas CO2
100 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
Shields, IL
Afternoon in Shields on Wednesday
Local time
1:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
24 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
6h 2m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 Shields, IL covers 286.6 miles and takes about 6h 2m 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 143.3 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 $44.81 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 2m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Palatine, IL to Shields, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Palatine, IL to Shields, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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