Origin
Schaumburg, IL
Evening in Schaumburg on Sunday
Local time
6:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Schaumburg, IL to Alton, IL
Drive Time
5h 32m
Distance
287.1 mi
462 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$44
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 19m
★
6 AM
5h 32m
8 AM
5h 59m
10 AM
5h 41m
12 PM
5h 39m
3 PM
5h 43m
5 PM
5h 57m
8 PM
5h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Schaumburg, IL
Wolfgang Weiser
Alton, IL
Samuele Pellegrino
Trip Overview
The drive from Schaumburg, IL to Alton, IL covers 287.1 miles and takes about 5h 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Thacker Street, North Roselle Road, South Roselle Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.61 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
143.6 miles from Schaumburg, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 46m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 32m drive with frequent turns across 287.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Thacker Street 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
This is a straightforward 5h 32m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Schaumburg, IL to Alton, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Thacker Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Roselle Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Roselle Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| IL 390 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Elgin-O'Hare Tollway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 290 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 290 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 355 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
West Thacker Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Schaumburg, IL and Alton, IL.
1
Start on North Pleasant Drive
427 ft
·
20 sec
·
North Pleasant Drive
2
Turn right onto West Thacker Street
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
West Thacker Street
3
Turn right onto North Roselle Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Roselle Road
4
Continue on South Roselle Road
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
South Roselle Road
5
Turn left onto IL 390 East Toll
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
IL 390 East Toll
6
Merge slight left onto Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 290: Chicago, Rockford
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 290: Chicago, Rockford
8
Keep slight right to continue on I 290 East: Chicago
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
I 290 East: Chicago
9
Merge slight left
0.6 mi
·
44 sec
10
Keep slight left to continue on I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
20 mi
·
25 min
·
I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
11
Take the exit slight right toward I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis
12
Keep slight left to continue on Joliet Road South
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Joliet Road South
13
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis
14
Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway
112 mi
·
2 hr 2 min
·
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
15
Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
65 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
16
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis
63 mi
·
1 hr 7 min
·
I 55 South: Saint Louis
17
Take the exit slight right toward IL 140: Alton, Greenville
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
IL 140: Alton, Greenville
18
Turn right onto East State Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East State Street
19
Continue on State Route 140
9.6 mi
·
13 min
·
State Route 140
20
Continue on East Bethalto Drive
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
East Bethalto Drive
21
Continue on East MacArthur Drive
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East MacArthur Drive
22
Continue on West Macarthur Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Macarthur Drive
23
Continue on College Avenue
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
College Avenue
24
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward College Avenue
397 ft
·
8 sec
·
College Avenue
25
Exit the roundabout onto College Avenue
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
College Avenue
26
Turn left onto Martin Luther King Drive
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Drive
27
Continue on Piasa Street
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Piasa Street
28
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
West 3rd Street
29
Turn right onto Alby Street
118 ft
·
5 sec
·
Alby Street
30
Arrive at your destination
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 143.6 miles from Schaumburg, IL, or about 2h 46m 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 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 143.6 miles or 2h 46m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alton, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Schaumburg, 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 Schaumburg, IL
This is one driving day of about 287.1 miles and 5h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Schaumburg, 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 143.6 mi from Schaumburg, IL · 2h 46m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
144 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 143.6 miles from Schaumburg, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Alton, IL
The final approach into Alton, 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 Alton, 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
$43.61 one way
$87.22 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
101 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $48.07 | $96.14 |
| premium | $4.80 | $54.20 | $108.40 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $63.78 | $127.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 86.1 | 1 | $30.15 | $13.78 |
| Efficient EV | 71.8 | 0 | $25.12 | $11.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 114.8 | 1 | $40.19 | $18.37 |
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
Alton, IL
Evening in Alton on Sunday
Local time
6:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
53°F
Bloomington, IL
144 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 32m 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 Schaumburg, IL to Alton, IL covers 287.1 miles and takes about 5h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Thacker Street, North Roselle Road, South Roselle Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 143.6 miles from Schaumburg, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.61 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.
This is a straightforward 5h 32m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Schaumburg, IL to Alton, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Schaumburg, IL to Alton, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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