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Trip from Prairie Grove, IL to Berwyn, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 13m

Distance

48.5 mi

78 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 8m ★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Prairie Grove, IL, IL

Prairie Grove, IL

Andrew Patrick Photo

city in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Berwyn, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Prairie Grove, IL to Berwyn, IL covers 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 13m 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, South Rand Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.9 miles on I 290. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.58 one way before food or hotel costs.

About the Cities

Arriving in Berwyn, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1908

Berwyn is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois.

Top landmarks

  • Arthur J. Dunham House — historic house in Berwyn, Illinois
  • Mr. Robert Silhan House — historic house in Illinois, United States

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 48.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Prairie Grove, IL to Berwyn, IL covers 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 13m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 18 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 13.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 19.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.5 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 19.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 24 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.9 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
19.3 mi into trip | ~32m in

Take the ramp toward IL 53 South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward IL 53 South
8
24 mi into trip | ~38m 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
30.9 mi into trip | ~48m 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
44.9 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in

Take the exit toward IL 171: 1st Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 20 Toward IL 171: 1st Avenue
6
45.1 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | IL 171 / South 1st Avenue

Turn right onto IL 171 / South 1st Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 290 13.9 mi 18m
IL 53 11.3 mi 14m
South Rand Road 10.1 mi 13m
West State Road 4.1 mi 7m
North Rand Road 2.4 mi 3m
Nish Road 1.8 mi 4m
South 1st Avenue 1.4 mi 2m
Cermak Road 1.3 mi 2m
Longest stretch: I 290 — 13.9 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Prairie Grove, IL and Berwyn, IL.

1

Start on Barreville Road

0.2 mi · 45 sec · Barreville Road
2

Turn left onto Nish Road

1.8 mi · 4 min · Nish Road
3

Turn left onto IL 176

4.1 mi · 7 min · West State Road
Use the left lane.
4

Continue on IL 176

0.4 mi · 1 min · West Liberty Street
Use the right lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 47 sec
Use the right lane.
6

Merge onto US 12; IL 59

10 mi · 13 min · South Rand Road
Use the left lane.
7

Continue on US 12

2.4 mi · 3 min · North Rand Road
8

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward IL 53 South Use the right lane.
9

Merge onto IL 53

4.4 mi · 5 min · IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

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.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 290

14 mi · 18 min · I 290
Toward I 290 East: Chicago Use the slight right lane.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Exit 20 Toward IL 171: 1st Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Turn slight left onto Bataan Drive

381 ft · 14 sec · Bataan Drive
14

Turn right onto IL 171

1.4 mi · 2 min · South 1st Avenue
Use the right lane.
15

Turn left onto 1st Avenue Cutoff

0.2 mi · 31 sec · 1st Avenue Cutoff
16

Turn straight onto Cermak Road

1.3 mi · 2 min · Cermak Road
Use the left lane.
17

Continue on West Cermak Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Cermak Road
Use the left lane.
18

Arrive at destination

West Cermak Road

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 24.3 mi from Prairie Grove, IL · 39m into the drive

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Palatine, IL

24 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

Gilmer, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Rolling Meadows, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from Prairie Grove, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Berwyn, IL

The final approach into Berwyn, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.58 one way

$15.16 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $8.33 $16.65
premium $4.89 $9.33 $18.67
diesel $5.61 $10.71 $21.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.5 0 $5.09 $2.33
Efficient EV 12.1 0 $4.24 $1.94
EV Truck/SUV 19.4 0 $6.79 $3.10

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Prairie Grove, IL

Morning in Prairie Grove on Saturday

Local time

11:32 AM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Berwyn, IL

Morning in Berwyn on Saturday

Local time

11:32 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

1 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

1h 13m 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 Prairie Grove, IL to Berwyn, IL covers 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 290, IL 53, South Rand Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 24.3 miles from Prairie Grove, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.58 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.5 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: at 19.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 24 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.9 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Prairie Grove, IL to Berwyn, 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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