Origin
Upper Alton, IL
Morning in Upper Alton on Monday
Local time
8:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Upper Alton, IL to Elmhurst, IL
Drive Time
5h 16m
Distance
275.2 mi
443 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 3m
★
6 AM
5h 17m
8 AM
5h 44m
10 AM
5h 26m
12 PM
5h 23m
3 PM
5h 27m
5 PM
5h 42m
8 PM
5h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Upper Alton, IL
Mike Tyurin
Elmhurst, IL
Pho Tomass
Trip Overview
The drive from Upper Alton, IL to Elmhurst, IL covers 275.2 miles and takes about 5h 16m 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, State Route 140 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 244.2 miles on I 55. At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.80 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
137.6 miles from Upper Alton, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 38m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 5h 16m highway drive covering 275.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 55 and Kingery Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 244.2 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 22 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 244.2 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 114.8 miles in near I 55.
Route Complexity
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 275.2 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 114.8 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 144.2 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 262.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
114.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 13m 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
144.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 45m 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
262.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 56m 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
262.5 mi into trip
|
~4h 56m 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
262.7 mi into trip
|
~4h 56m 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 Upper Alton, IL to Elmhurst, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Peoria along the way.
Peoria
144.2 mi in
|
~2h 45m
|
via I 55
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 244.2 mi | 4h 26m |
| Kingery Highway | 10.4 mi | 15m |
| State Route 140 | 9.7 mi | 13m |
| College Avenue | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| West Bethalto Drive | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| West MacArthur Drive | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Macarthur Drive | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Saint Charles Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 244.2 mi, about 4h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Upper Alton, IL and Elmhurst, IL.
1
Start on Washington Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Avenue
2
Turn left onto College Avenue
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
College Avenue
3
Continue on West Macarthur Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Macarthur Drive
4
Continue on West MacArthur Drive
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West MacArthur Drive
5
Continue on West Bethalto Drive
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
West Bethalto Drive
6
Continue on State Route 140
9.6 mi
·
13 min
·
State Route 140
7
Continue on West State Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Street
8
Continue on State Route 140
443 ft
·
14 sec
·
State Route 140
9
Take the ramp left
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
10
Merge slight left
97 mi
·
1 hr 44 min
11
Keep slight right to continue on I 55 North: Chicago
29 mi
·
31 min
·
I 55 North: Chicago
12
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, Peoria
118 mi
·
2 hr 10 min
·
I 55 North, I 74 West: Chicago, Peoria
13
Take the exit slight right toward IL 83: Kingery Road
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
IL 83: Kingery Road
14
Keep slight left to continue on IL 83 North: Kingery Road
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
IL 83 North: Kingery Road
15
Keep slight right to continue on IL 83 North: Kingery Road North
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
IL 83 North: Kingery Road North
16
Continue on Kingery Highway
10 mi
·
15 min
·
Kingery Highway
17
Take the exit slight right
338 ft
·
9 sec
18
Turn slight right onto West Saint Charles Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West Saint Charles Road
19
Turn left onto South York Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South York Street
20
Turn left onto West Park Avenue
39 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Park Avenue
21
Turn slight right
66 ft
·
5 sec
22
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 137.6 miles from Upper Alton, IL, or about 2h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 244.2 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 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 137.6 miles or 2h 38m 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 15m
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 Upper Alton, 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 Upper Alton, IL
This is one driving day of about 275.2 miles and 5h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Upper Alton, 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 244.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 137.6 mi from Upper Alton, IL · 2h 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
138 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 137.6 miles from Upper Alton, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 55 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 244.2 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
$41.80 one way
$83.60 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
96 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $46.08 | $92.16 |
| premium | $4.80 | $51.95 | $103.90 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $61.14 | $122.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 82.6 | 1 | $28.90 | $13.21 |
| Efficient EV | 68.8 | 0 | $24.08 | $11.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 110.1 | 1 | $38.53 | $17.61 |
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% 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
Elmhurst, IL
Morning in Elmhurst on Monday
Local time
8:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
53°F
Bloomington, IL
138 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
3 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
5h 16m 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 Upper Alton, IL to Elmhurst, IL covers 275.2 miles and takes about 5h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 55, Kingery Highway, State Route 140. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 137.6 miles from Upper Alton, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.80 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 demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 275.2 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 114.8 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 144.2 miles (I 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 262.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Upper Alton, IL to Elmhurst, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Peoria along the way.
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