Origin
South Chicago Heights, IL
Afternoon in South Chicago Heights on Saturday
Local time
12:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Chicago Heights, IL to Des Plaines, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
47.7 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Chicago Heights, IL
John Hill
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 47.7-mile drive from South Chicago Heights to Des Plaines, Illinois, is a straightforward, single-day trip that should take about 1 hour and 9 minutes. You'll navigate primarily using Dixie Highway and Chicago Road, with a significant portion on the Tri-State Tollway. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $7, this route is an economical choice for a quick journey within the Midwest region. The drive is designed for a single day, requiring no overnight stays. Expect a local feel with frequent turns rather than a long, open highway experience.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
Top landmarks
- • McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
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 9m. Total distance: 47.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This is a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll encounter numerous intersections and changes in direction. While there's a 37-mile stretch on the Tri-State Tollway, the overall character is not that of a high-speed interstate cruise due to the significant share of local roads. The highway share is 0%, emphasizing that this is more of a surface street navigation challenge than a freeway run. The route's personality shifts as you move between the tollway and the local streets, requiring constant attention to your navigation.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 37 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.3 miles in.
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 47.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 7.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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
7.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the ramp toward I 294 North, I 80 West: Tri-State Tollway
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 294 North, I 80 West: Tri-State Tollwa...
6
8.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
44.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward Touhy Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
7
45.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Touhy Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Touhy Avenue West
8
45.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Touhy Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 42B
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from South Chicago Heights, IL to Des Plaines, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Touhy Avenue West along the way.
Touhy Avenue West
45.3 mi in
|
~1h 4m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 37 mi | 46m |
| Dixie Highway | 4.7 mi | 10m |
| Chicago Road | 2 mi | 5m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Governors Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Wood Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Touhy Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 37 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Chicago Heights, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on West Sauk Trail
28 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Sauk Trail
2
Turn left onto IL 1
2.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Chicago Road
3
Turn left onto Dixie Highway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Dixie Highway
4
Keep slight right at fork onto Dixie Highway
2.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Dixie Highway
5
Continue on Dixie Highway
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Dixie Highway
6
Continue on Dixie Highway
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Dixie Highway
7
Turn right onto Governors Highway
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Governors Highway
8
Continue on Wood Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Wood Street
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 294 North, I 80 West: Tri-State Tollway
10
Merge onto I 80; I 294
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
24 mi
·
29 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 42B
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the right lane.
18
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
325 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Touhy Avenue
19
Turn slight right
339 ft
·
9 sec
20
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
21
Turn left onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Henry Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.8 mi from South Chicago Heights, IL · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.8 miles from South Chicago Heights, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Des Plaines, IL
The final approach into Des Plaines, 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
$7.46 one way
$14.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.19 | $16.38 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.18 | $18.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.53 | $21.06 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.22
Tri-state Tollway
(37 mi)
$2.22
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 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 | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.68 | $3.05 |
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.
Destination
Des Plaines, IL
Afternoon in Des Plaines on Saturday
Local time
12:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 15 mph
27% chance
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
10 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 9m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from South Chicago Heights, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 47.7 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Dixie Highway, Chicago Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.8 miles from South Chicago Heights, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.46 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 47.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 7.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from South Chicago Heights, IL to Des Plaines, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Touhy Avenue West along the way.
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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