Origin
Warren, IL
Evening in Warren on Tuesday
Local time
7:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Warren, IL to Waukegan, IL
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
3h 5m
Distance
133.6 mi
215 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 54m
★
6 AM
3h 6m
8 AM
3h 29m
10 AM
3h 14m
12 PM
3h 12m
3 PM
3h 15m
5 PM
3h 28m
8 PM
2h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Warren, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Warren, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 133.6 miles and takes about 3h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 43, US 12, Town Center Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.7 miles on I 43. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.89 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
66.8 miles from Warren, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 40m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Warren, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 133.6 miles and takes about 3h 5m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 43 is the longest continuous segment at about 24.7 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 early in the drive near IL 78 / West Main Street.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 133.6 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: near the start (IL 78 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 85 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 103.8 miles (IL 173 / Kenosha Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 24 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 78 / West Main Street
Turn right onto IL 78 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
7
85 mi into trip
|
~1h 59m in
Take the exit toward US 12 East: Lake Geneva
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 27A
Toward US 12 East: Lake Geneva
6
103.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 21m in
|
IL 173 / Kenosha Street
Turn left onto IL 173 / Kenosha Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
130.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 58m in
Take the exit toward IL 132: Grand Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward IL 132: Grand Avenue
8
130.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 59m in
Keep slight left at fork toward IL 132 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward IL 132 East
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 43 | 24.7 mi | 26m |
| US 12 | 18 mi | 20m |
| Town Center Road | 15 mi | 20m |
| West IL Route 173 | 13.9 mi | 21m |
| North Skokie Highway | 7.4 mi | 8m |
| State Highway 81 | 7.1 mi | 9m |
| West Warren Road | 6.6 mi | 11m |
| West Winslow Road | 6.4 mi | 8m |
Longest stretch:
I 43
— 24.7 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Warren, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on South Water Street
37 ft
·
5 sec
·
South Water Street
2
Turn right onto IL 78
430 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Main Street
3
Turn left onto Burnett Avenue
298 ft
·
6 sec
·
Burnett Avenue
4
Turn right onto South Railroad Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Railroad Street
5
Turn left onto East Winslow Road
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
East Winslow Road
6
Continue on West Warren Road
6.6 mi
·
11 min
·
West Warren Road
7
Continue on Hubbard Street
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Hubbard Street
8
At end of road, turn left onto IL 73
440 ft
·
9 sec
·
Carver Street
9
Turn right onto Bridge Street
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Bridge Street
10
Continue on West Winslow Road
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
West Winslow Road
11
At end of road, turn left onto IL 26
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
·
IL 26
12
Continue on WI 69
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 69
13
Turn right onto Town Center Road
15 mi
·
20 min
·
Town Center Road
14
Continue on West Beloit Newark Road
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
West Beloit Newark Road
15
Turn right onto WI 81
7.1 mi
·
9 min
·
State Highway 81
16
Continue on WI 81
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
West Liberty Avenue
17
Turn left onto 6th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
6th Street
18
Turn right onto Maple Avenue
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Maple Avenue
19
Continue on Henry Avenue
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Henry Avenue
20
Continue on Shopiere Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Shopiere Road
21
Turn right onto East Hart Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
East Hart Road
22
Enter roundabout onto CTH X
97 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Hart Road
23
Continue on CTH X
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
East Hart Road
24
Enter roundabout
163 ft
·
2 sec
25
Continue
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
26
Merge onto I 43
25 mi
·
26 min
·
I 43
27
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 27A
Toward US 12 East: Lake Geneva
Use the slight right lane.
28
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
29
Merge onto US 12
18 mi
·
20 min
·
US 12
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Turn left onto IL 173
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Kenosha Street
Use the left lane.
31
Continue on IL 173
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Kenosha Road
32
Continue on IL 173
14 mi
·
21 min
·
West IL Route 173
Use the left lane.
33
Turn right onto US 41
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
North Skokie Highway
34
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward IL 132: Grand Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35
Keep slight left at fork
308 ft
·
10 sec
Toward IL 132 East
Use the left lane.
36
Turn straight onto IL 132
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the right lane.
37
Turn right onto North Jackson Street
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
North Jackson Street
38
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
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 66.8 miles from Warren, IL, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.7 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 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.8 miles or 1h 40m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukegan, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Warren, 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 Warren, IL
This is one driving day of about 133.6 miles and 3h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Warren, 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 43 for about 24.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 66.8 mi from Warren, IL · 1h 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
67 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 66.8 miles from Warren, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Waukegan, IL
The final approach into Waukegan, 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 Waukegan, 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
$20.89 one way
$41.77 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
47 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $22.93 | $45.87 |
| premium | $4.89 | $25.71 | $51.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $29.50 | $58.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 40.1 | 0 | $14.03 | $6.41 |
| Efficient EV | 33.4 | 0 | $11.69 | $5.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53.4 | 0 | $18.70 | $8.55 |
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Destination
Waukegan, IL
Evening in Waukegan on Tuesday
Local time
7:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
3h 5m 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 Warren, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 133.6 miles and takes about 3h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 43, US 12, Town Center Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 66.8 miles from Warren, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.89 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 24 significant decision points across 133.6 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: near the start (IL 78 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 85 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 103.8 miles (IL 173 / Kenosha Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Warren, IL to Waukegan, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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