Trip from Saint Elmo, IL to Waukegan, IL

Drive Time

5h 12m

Distance

270.3 mi

435 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$41

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min

4 AM

4h 59m ★

6 AM

5h 13m

8 AM

5h 40m

10 AM

5h 22m

12 PM

5h 19m

3 PM

5h 23m

5 PM

5h 38m

8 PM

5h 5m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Saint Elmo, IL

Sergei Starostin

Trip Overview

The drive from Saint Elmo, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 270.3 miles and takes about 5h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 57, I 70, Edens Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 195.2 miles on I 57. At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.06 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

135.2 miles from Saint Elmo, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 30m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 5h 12m highway drive covering 270.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 57 and I 70. The longest continuous stretch is about 195.2 miles on I 57.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 57 is the longest continuous segment at about 195.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and I 70. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Main Street.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 270.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 23.5 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 222.1 miles (I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Main Street

Turn left onto North Main Street

Navigation decision point

23.5 mi into trip | ~27m in | I 57

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 North: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 57 North: Chicago

222.1 mi into trip | ~4h 6m in | I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the none lane. Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Roa...

251.7 mi into trip | ~4h 47m in | US 41 / Skokie Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto US 41 / Skokie Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

267.1 mi into trip | ~5h 5m in

Take the exit toward IL 120 East

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward IL 120 East

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 57	195.2 mi	3h 34m
I 70	21.7 mi	23m
Edens Expressway	13.5 mi	17m
South Skokie Highway	8.2 mi	10m
Kennedy Expressway	8.2 mi	11m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)	7.9 mi	11m
Skokie Highway	3.8 mi	4m
Skokie Valley Road	3.4 mi	3m

Longest stretch: I 57 — 195.2 mi, about 3h 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Saint Elmo, IL and Waukegan, IL.

Start on East 4th Street

145 ft · 11 sec · East 4th Street

Turn left onto North Main Street

0.2 mi · 55 sec · North Main Street

Turn right onto US 40

0.5 mi · 57 sec · East Cumberland Road

Turn left onto Interstate Drive

0.8 mi · 1 min · Interstate Drive

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 32 sec

Toward I-70 East: Effingham

Merge onto I 70

22 mi · 23 min · I 70

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57

195 mi · 3 hr 34 min · I 57

Toward I 57 North: Chicago Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 94

3.3 mi · 4 min · Dan Ryan Expressway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

7.9 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express: Pershing Road Use the none lane.

Continue on I 90; I 94

8.2 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 94

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway

Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 41

3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 41

3.4 mi · 3 min · Skokie Valley Road

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 41

8.2 mi · 10 min · South Skokie Highway

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec

Toward IL 120 East Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto IL 120

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Belvidere Road

Continue on IL 120

1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

Use the none lane.

Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto South Jackson Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Jackson Street

Arrive at destination

North Jackson Street

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 135.2 miles from Saint Elmo, IL, or about 2h 30m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 195.2 miles.

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 29m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 135.2 miles or 2h 30m 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 6m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukegan, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Saint Elmo, 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 Saint Elmo, IL

This is one driving day of about 270.3 miles and 5h 12m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Saint Elmo, 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.

The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 195.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 135.2 mi from Saint Elmo, IL · 2h 30m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Joliet, IL

135 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

Champaign, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Champaign, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 135.2 miles from Saint Elmo, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 195.2 miles.

Arriving in Waukegan, IL

The final approach into Waukegan, 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 Waukegan, IL.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$41.06 one way

$82.11 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 95 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$45.26	$90.52
premium	$4.80	$51.03	$102.05
diesel	$5.64	$60.05	$120.10

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$41

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$66–$91

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 94.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $28 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	81.1	1	$28.38	$12.97
Efficient EV	67.6	0	$23.65	$10.81
EV Truck/SUV	108.1	1	$37.84	$17.30

Gas CO2

95 kg

EV CO2

32 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Saint Elmo, IL

Evening in Saint Elmo on Sunday

Local time

6:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Waukegan, IL

Evening in Waukegan on Sunday

Local time

6:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

43°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

11 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

5h 12m 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 Saint Elmo, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 270.3 miles and takes about 5h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 57, I 70, Edens Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 135.2 miles from Saint Elmo, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.06 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.

The route from Saint Elmo, IL to Waukegan, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Return Trip

Waukegan, IL to Saint Elmo, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

269.2 mi 5h 10m

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Trip from Saint Elmo, IL to Waukegan, IL

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Waukegan, IL

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Saint Elmo, IL

Waukegan, IL

Same local time

11 degrees cooler at arrival

5h 12m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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