Origin
Schaumburg, IL
Late night in Schaumburg on Saturday
Local time
5:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Schaumburg, IL to River Forest, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
20.6 mi
33 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Schaumburg, IL
Wikimedia Commons
River Forest, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 20.6-mile drive from Schaumburg to River Forest, Illinois, should take you about 35 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate via I-290 and US-20, with a section on South Roselle Road contributing to the journey. With an estimated fuel cost of just $3, this is an economical option for moving between two points within the Midwest region. The profile is described as a mixed drive, suggesting a blend of highway speeds and potentially more local traffic depending on the exact path taken. Since it's a short distance, you won't need to worry about overnight stays or splitting the journey.
About the Cities
Starting in Schaumburg, IL
Full guide →Schaumburg is a city in Chicagoland, best known for its ever popular Woodfield Mall, the largest mall in Illinois. Its name is derived from a place in Germany.
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 35m. Total distance: 20.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a drive that's about 58% highway, so you'll experience stretches of faster travel, particularly on I-290, where the longest uninterrupted section spans 7.7 miles. The 'mixed drive' profile indicates that the route isn't solely interstate; you'll likely encounter some transitions to more urban or suburban roadways as you approach your destination. This means a varied driving experience, shifting from cruising on the expressway to navigating surface streets. The road character will change throughout the roughly 35-minute trip.
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 7.7 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 3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 20.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Turn left toward IL 390 East Toll
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward IL 390 East Toll
8
5.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 290: Chicago, Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12
Toward I 290: Chicago, Rockford
7
5.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m 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
8
14.1 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
US 20
Take the exit onto US 20 toward US 20 East, IL 64 East, I 294 North: Milwaukee, Truck Route
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 13A
Toward US 20 East, IL 64 East, I 294 North: Mil...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Schaumburg, IL and River Forest, IL, road signs point toward Rockford and Truck Route.
Rockford
5.1 mi in
|
~9m
Truck Route
14.1 mi in
|
~21m
|
via US 20
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 290 | 7.7 mi | 10m |
| US 20 | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| South Roselle Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Elgin-O'Hare Tollway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Chicago Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Augusta Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| North Roselle Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Thatcher Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 7.7 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Schaumburg, IL and River Forest, IL.
1
Start on North Pleasant Drive
426 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
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward IL 390 East Toll
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto IL 390
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 12
Toward I 290: Chicago, Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 290
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
·
I 290
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
7.2 mi
·
9 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit onto US 20
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
US 20
Exit 13A
Toward US 20 East, IL 64 East, I 294 North: Milwaukee, Truck Route
Use the right lane.
12
Turn slight right onto US 20
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
US 20
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
US 20
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto North 17th Avenue
140 ft
·
4 sec
·
North 17th Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto Chicago Avenue
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Chicago Avenue
16
Turn left onto Thatcher Avenue
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Thatcher Avenue
17
Turn right onto Augusta Street
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Augusta Street
18
Arrive at destination
Augusta Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.22 one way
$6.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.54 | $7.07 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.96 | $7.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.55 | $9.10 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.12
Elgin-O'Hare Tollway
(1.8 mi)
$0.12
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.88 | $1.32 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Destination
River Forest, IL
Late night in River Forest on Saturday
Local time
5:33 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
16 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
35m 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 Schaumburg, IL to River Forest, IL covers 20.6 miles and takes about 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 290, US 20, South Roselle Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.3 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 $3.22 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 is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 20.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Schaumburg, IL and River Forest, IL, road signs point toward Rockford and Truck Route.
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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