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Trip from Sandwich, IL to Cicero, IL

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

Drive Time

1h 20m

Distance

57.5 mi

93 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 14m ★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 17m

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

Downtown Sandwich, IL, IL

Sandwich, IL

Costin Cerednicenco

Trip Overview

Sandwich, IL to Cicero, IL is 57.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via IL 56 and Eisenhower Expressway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive entirely within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest region. You'll mostly be on main roads with a significant portion on a highway, making it a practical option for getting between these locations efficiently. Consider this trip when you need a reliable, relatively quick journey without extensive planning.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 57.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This route offers a mixed drive experience, with 60% of it on the highway. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 24.8 miles on IL 56, providing a good opportunity for steady progress. Expect the drive to begin on local roads before transitioning to faster-paced highways like the Eisenhower Expressway. The character shifts from more localized travel to a more direct, higher-speed journey as you approach your destination.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
IL 56 is the longest continuous segment at about 24.8 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 0.1 miles in near US 34 / East Church Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (US 34 / East Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.2 miles (Eldamain Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles (Galena Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 34 / East Church Street

Turn left onto US 34 / East Church Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
7.2 mi into trip | ~13m in | Eldamain Road

Turn left onto Eldamain Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
10.8 mi into trip | ~18m in | Galena Road

Turn right onto Galena Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
16.8 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward IL 56 East: Chicago

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

Use the right lane. Toward IL 56 East: Chicago
7
55 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in

Take the exit toward Central Avenue

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 23B Toward Central Avenue

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
IL 56 24.8 mi 30m
East Church Street 7.1 mi 13m
Eisenhower Expressway 7 mi 9m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 6 mi 7m
Eldamain Road 3.5 mi 5m
US 30 2.9 mi 3m
Galena Road 2 mi 2m
South Laramie Avenue 1.4 mi 2m
Longest stretch: IL 56 — 24.8 mi, about 30m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sandwich, IL and Cicero, IL.

1

Start on North Main Street

0.1 mi · 25 sec · North Main Street
2

Turn left onto US 34

7.1 mi · 13 min · East Church Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Turn left onto Eldamain Road

3.5 mi · 5 min · Eldamain Road
Use the left lane.
4

Turn right onto Galena Road

2.0 mi · 2 min · Galena Road
Use the right lane.
5

Turn left onto North Bridge Street

1.2 mi · 1 min · North Bridge Street
6

Continue on US 30; IL 47

2.9 mi · 3 min · US 30; IL 47
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Toward IL 56 East: Chicago Use the right lane.
8

Merge onto IL 56

25 mi · 30 min · IL 56
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

6.0 mi · 7 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Merge onto I 290; IL 110

7.0 mi · 9 min · Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 33 sec
Exit 23B Toward Central Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn right onto South Central Avenue

0.3 mi · 44 sec · South Central Avenue
13

Turn left onto West Roosevelt Road

0.5 mi · 57 sec · West Roosevelt Road
14

Turn right onto South Laramie Avenue

1.4 mi · 2 min · South Laramie Avenue
15

Arrive at destination

South Laramie Avenue

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 28.8 mi from Sandwich, IL · 41m into the drive

Downtown North Aurora, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

North Aurora, IL

29 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.

Popular next leg

North Aurora, IL to Cicero, IL

34.6 mi · 47m

Pacing Suggestions

Yorkville, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

North Aurora, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.8 miles from Sandwich, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cicero, IL

The final approach into Cicero, 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

$8.99 one way

$17.98 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.87 $19.74
premium $4.89 $11.07 $22.13
diesel $5.61 $12.70 $25.39

Estimated Tolls: $0.36

Reagan Memorial Tollway (6 mi) $0.36

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$0

Total

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.3 0 $6.04 $2.76
Efficient EV 14.4 0 $5.03 $2.30
EV Truck/SUV 23 0 $8.05 $3.68

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 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 15, 2026

Origin

Sandwich, IL

Night in Sandwich on Friday

Local time

10:33 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cicero, IL

Night in Cicero on Friday

Local time

10:33 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 20m 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 Sandwich, IL to Cicero, IL covers 57.5 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are IL 56, East Church Street, Eisenhower Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 28.8 miles from Sandwich, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.99 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 57.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (US 34 / East Church Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.2 miles (Eldamain Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles (Galena Road): Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Sandwich, IL to Cicero, 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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