How far is Bennington, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from Bennington, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 304.4 miles (489.9 km), with a travel time of about 06h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 265.7 miles (427.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 49m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
304.39 mi
06h 24m
Flight
265.7 mi
427.61 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Bennington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
265.7 mi
Kilometers
427.61 km
Flight Time
00h 32m

Driving Distance

Road route
304.39 mi
Kilometers
489.87 km
Drive Time
06h 24m

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 06h 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Thu, Apr 23, 4:49 AM CDT
Return by in Bennington
Thu, Apr 23, 11:14 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Bennington
2026-04-22T22:25
Arrive Waukegan
Thu, Apr 23, 4:49 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:25 PM to 1:55 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:10 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Bennington
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

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
Ludlow
IL

Human settlement in Illinois, United States of America

From Bennington
152.3 mi
03h 12m
To Waukegan
152.1 mi
03h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
77°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 10 mph SW
Destination
64°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Bennington and Waukegan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bennington and Waukegan.

  1. 1

    Start on 100E

    32 m · 7 sec · 100E

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 095E

    652 ft · 30 sec · 095E

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto 1900N

    1606 ft · 1 min · 1900N

  4. 4

    Turn right onto 125E

    2567 ft · 2 min · 125E

  5. 5

    Turn left onto County Road 1850 N

    3.8 mi · 9 min · County Road 1850 N

  6. 6

    Turn left onto 500E

    14.3 mi · 20 min · 500E

  7. 7

    Continue on South West Street

    2.5 mi · 5 min · South West Street

  8. 8

    Continue on County Road 1100 East

    6.7 mi · 9 min · County Road 1100 East

  9. 9

    Continue on South Van Buren Street

    11 mi · 15 min · South Van Buren Street

  10. 10

    Turn right

    36.3 mi · 54 min

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Lincoln Avenue

    2.5 mi · 4 min · Lincoln Avenue

  12. 12

    Continue on Illinois Route 16

    5.3 mi · 7 min · Illinois Route 16

  13. 13

    Continue on Charleston Avenue East

    2035 ft · 39 sec · Charleston Avenue East

  14. 14

    Take the ramp slight right toward I-57 North: Champaign

    2575 ft · 1 min

  15. 15

    Merge slight left

    168.6 mi · 3 hr 6 min

  16. 16

    Continue on Dan Ryan Expressway

    3.3 mi · 5 min · Dan Ryan Expressway

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

    7.9 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

  18. 18

    Continue on Kennedy Expressway

    8.2 mi · 12 min · Kennedy Expressway

  19. 19

    Continue on Edens Expressway

    13.5 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on Skokie Highway

    3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway

  21. 21

    Continue on Skokie Valley Road

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Skokie Valley Road

  22. 22

    Continue on South Skokie Highway

    8.2 mi · 10 min · South Skokie Highway

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 120 East

    1323 ft · 36 sec

  24. 24

    Turn straight onto Belvidere Road

    1830 ft · 33 sec · Belvidere Road

  25. 25

    Continue on Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  26. 26

    Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  27. 27

    Turn left onto South Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · South Jackson Street

  28. 28

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Bennington and Waukegan.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
28 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-57 North
169 mi · 56%
500E
14.3 mi · 5%
Edens Expressway
13.5 mi · 4%
South Van Buren Street
11 mi · 4%
South Skokie Highway
8.22 mi · 3%
Kennedy Expressway
8.16 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

I-57 North

Merge slight left

169 mi · 03h 06m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 24m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+38.7 mi
265.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Ludlow
03h 12m from Bennington
Leave By
11:10 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Bennington and Mostly Sunny near Waukegan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Bennington to Waukegan?

The road trip is about 304.4 miles (489.9 km) and usually takes 06h 24m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Ludlow is a useful midpoint, sitting about 152.3 miles from Bennington and 152.1 miles from Waukegan.

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

The direct path is about 265.7 miles (427.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 38.7 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $40.50 one way or $81.00 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 95.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Bennington and Mostly Sunny near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Ludlow

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Ludlow, 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 Ludlow.

RAIL

Rantoul

9 mi away
West Sangamon and North Kentucky Aves.
RAIL

Illinois Terminal

32 mi away
45 East University Ave.
RAIL

Gilman

43 mi away
US Hwy 24 & West Wenona St.
BUS

Danville, Illinois

51 mi away
379 Lynch Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Bennington and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 265.7 mi (427.61 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Bennington

Unincorporated community in Illinois

Population1,476
Coordinates38.5242200, -88.1314300
Altitude127
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Bennington (-88.13143, 38.52422)
End: Waukegan (-87.84479, 42.36363)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 490 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 08m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 36m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 05m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 04m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 47m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.74 gal
40.66 L · about $40.50
Round trip
$81.00
21.48 gal · 81.32 L
Estimated CO2
95.4 kg one way
Round trip: 190.9 kg / 421 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $40.50 $81.00
Mid-grade $4.25 $45.68 $91.35
Premium $4.65 $49.98 $99.97
Diesel $5.30 $56.96 $113.93

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 · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Bennington and Waukegan. The current time is 22:25:11.

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.