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Trip from Springfield, IL to Elmhurst, IL

Drive Time

3h 41m

Distance

192.6 mi

310 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$29

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
3h 29m ★
6 AM
3h 41m
8 AM
4h 6m
10 AM
3h 50m
12 PM
3h 47m
3 PM
3h 51m
5 PM
4h 5m
8 PM
3h 34m

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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Downtown Springfield, IL, IL

Springfield, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Elmhurst, IL, IL

Elmhurst, IL

Pho Tomass

Trip Overview

The drive from Springfield, IL to Elmhurst, IL covers 192.6 miles and takes about 3h 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 55, Kingery Highway, Clear Lake Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 176.7 miles on I 55. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.25 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

96.3 miles from Springfield, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 48m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 3h 41m highway drive covering 192.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 55 and Kingery Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 176.7 miles on I 55.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 55 is the longest continuous segment at about 176.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and Kingery Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 32.2 miles in near I 55.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 192.6 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: at 32.2 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 61.5 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 179.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

7
32.2 mi into trip | ~38m in | I 55

Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 North: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 55 North: Chicago
8
61.5 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in | I 55

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, Peoria

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, Peoria
7
179.7 mi into trip | ~3h 20m in

Take the exit toward IL 83: Kingery Road

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 274 Toward IL 83: Kingery Road
8
179.9 mi into trip | ~3h 21m in

Keep slight left at fork toward IL 83 North: Kingery Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward IL 83 North: Kingery Road
8
180.1 mi into trip | ~3h 21m in

Keep slight right at fork toward IL 83 North: Kingery Road North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward IL 83 North: Kingery Road North

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Springfield, IL to Elmhurst, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Peoria along the way.

Peoria

61.5 mi in | ~1h 9m | via I 55

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 55 176.7 mi 3h 13m
Kingery Highway 10.4 mi 15m
Clear Lake Avenue 2.3 mi 4m
West Saint Charles Road 1.1 mi 2m
South York Street 0.6 mi 1m
East Washington Street 0.2 mi <1m
North 12th Street 0.2 mi <1m
West Park Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 55 — 176.7 mi, about 3h 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Springfield, IL and Elmhurst, IL.

1

Start on East Washington Street

0.2 mi · 41 sec · East Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2

Turn left onto North 12th Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · North 12th Street
3

Turn straight onto IL 97

2.3 mi · 4 min · Clear Lake Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
4

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 52 sec
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
5

Merge onto I 55

29 mi · 31 min · I 55
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 55

29 mi · 31 min · I 55
Toward I 55 North: Chicago Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 55

118 mi · 2 hr 10 min · I 55
Toward I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, Peoria Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 274 Toward IL 83: Kingery Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward IL 83 North: Kingery Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward IL 83 North: Kingery Road North Use the right lane.
11

Continue on IL 83

10 mi · 15 min · Kingery Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

338 ft · 9 sec
13

Turn slight right onto West Saint Charles Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · West Saint Charles Road
14

Turn left onto South York Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · South York Street
Use the left lane.
15

Turn left onto West Park Avenue

38 ft · 3 sec · West Park Avenue
16

Turn slight right

65 ft · 4 sec
17

Arrive at 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 96.3 miles from Springfield, IL, or about 1h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 176.7 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 30m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 96.3 miles or 1h 48m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 56m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Springfield, 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 Springfield, IL

This is one driving day of about 192.6 miles and 3h 41m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Springfield, 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 55 for about 176.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 96.3 mi from Springfield, IL · 1h 48m into the drive

Downtown Normal, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Normal, IL

96 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

Normal, IL

Fuel and coffee

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

Normal, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 96.3 miles from Springfield, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 55 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 176.7 miles.

Arriving in Elmhurst, IL

The final approach into Elmhurst, 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 Elmhurst, 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

$29.25 one way

$58.51 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 67 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $32.25 $64.50
premium $4.80 $36.36 $72.72
diesel $5.64 $42.79 $85.58

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$29

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$54–$79

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 67.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 57.8 0 $20.22 $9.24
Efficient EV 48.2 0 $16.85 $7.70
EV Truck/SUV 77 0 $26.96 $12.33

Gas CO2

67 kg

EV CO2

23 kg (66% 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 data refreshed 9 hours ago

Origin

Springfield, IL

Afternoon in Springfield on Monday

Local time

2:53 PM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Mostly Clear

SSW 14 mph 7% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:52PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:52PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Elmhurst, IL

Afternoon in Elmhurst on Monday

Local time

2:53 PM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Mostly Cloudy

SW 15 mph 9% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:52PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:52PM CDT until April 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

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

4 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

3h 41m 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 Springfield, IL to Elmhurst, IL covers 192.6 miles and takes about 3h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 55, Kingery Highway, Clear Lake Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 96.3 miles from Springfield, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.25 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 192.6 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 32.2 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 61.5 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 179.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Springfield, IL to Elmhurst, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Peoria along the way.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Elmhurst, IL to Springfield, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

193.2 mi 3h 40m

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