How far is Arlington Heights, IL from South Elgin, IL?

The driving distance from Arlington Heights, IL to South Elgin, IL is about 24 miles (38.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 17.3 miles (27.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 12m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
24.08 mi
00h 36m
Flight
17.27 mi
27.79 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Arlington Heights.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
17.27 mi
Kilometers
27.79 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
24.08 mi
Kilometers
38.75 km
Drive Time
00h 36m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in South Elgin
Fri, May 29, 9:51 PM CDT
Return by in Arlington Heights
Fri, May 29, 10:27 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Arlington Heights
2026-05-29T21:14
Arrive South Elgin
Fri, May 29, 9:51 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:18 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Arlington Heights
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
South Barrington
IL

Village in United States of America

From Arlington Heights
12 mi
00h 18m
To South Elgin
12.1 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, May 29 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SE
Destination
84°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, May 29 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Arlington Heights and South Elgin.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Arlington Heights and South Elgin.

  1. 1

    Start on East Euclid Avenue

    15 m · 6 sec · East Euclid Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Arlington Heights Road

    3.1 mi · 6 min · North Arlington Heights Road

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 90 Toll West: Rockford

    3076 ft · 55 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    13.7 mi · 15 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 25

    154 m · 12 sec

  6. 6

    Continue on IL 25

    2671 ft · 1 min

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    648 ft · 18 sec

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Dundee Avenue

    2 mi · 4 min · Dundee Avenue

  9. 9

    Continue on Center Street

    158 m · 21 sec · Center Street

  10. 10

    Turn right onto East Highland Avenue

    1930 ft · 55 sec · East Highland Avenue

  11. 11

    Turn left onto North State Street

    1.8 mi · 5 min · North State Street

  12. 12

    Continue on North La Fox Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · North La Fox Street

  13. 13

    Turn left onto West State Street

    570 ft · 11 sec · West State Street

  14. 14

    Continue on State Street Bridge

    112 m · 7 sec · State Street Bridge

  15. 15

    Continue on East State Street

    108 m · 9 sec · East State Street

  16. 16

    Turn right onto South Center Street

    12 m · 2 sec · South Center Street

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Center Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Arlington Heights and South Elgin.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
17 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
70.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
13.7 mi · 57%
North Arlington Heights Road
3.12 mi · 13%
Dundee Avenue
1.97 mi · 8%
North State Street
1.84 mi · 8%
North La Fox Street
1.4 mi · 6%
IL 25
0.72 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

13.7 mi · 00h 15m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 36m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.7 mi
17.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
South Barrington
00h 18m from Arlington Heights
Leave By
7:18 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Arlington Heights and Mostly Sunny near South Elgin.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Arlington Heights to South Elgin?

The road trip is about 24 miles (38.7 km) and usually takes 00h 36m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

South Barrington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12 miles from Arlington Heights and 12.1 miles from South Elgin.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 17.3 miles (27.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.7 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:18 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.21 one way or $6.41 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Arlington Heights and Mostly Sunny near South Elgin.

Stop Ideas Near South Barrington

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around South Barrington, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to South Barrington.

RAIL

Glenview station

26 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Naperville

35 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

La Grange Road

37 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

42 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Arlington Heights and South Elgin. Straight-line distance: 17.27 mi (27.79 km).

Arlington Heights

#1 Arlington Heights

Village in Cook County, Illinois, United States; suburb of Chicago, Illinois

Population75,101
Coordinates42.0883600, -87.9806300
Altitude214
CountryUnited States
South Elgin

#2 South Elgin

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population24,646
Coordinates41.9941900, -88.2923000
Altitude216
CountryUnited States
Start: Arlington Heights (-87.98063, 42.08836)
End: South Elgin (-88.2923, 41.99419)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 39 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 48m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 36m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 24m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.85 gal
3.22 L · about $3.21
Round trip
$6.41
1.7 gal · 6.44 L
Estimated CO2
7.6 kg one way
Round trip: 15.1 kg / 33 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.21 $6.41
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.62 $7.23
Premium $4.65 $3.96 $7.91
Diesel $5.30 $4.51 $9.02

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Illinois · May 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Arlington Heights and South Elgin. The current time is 21:14:59.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.