How far is Charleston, IL from Cicero, IL?

The driving distance from Charleston, IL to Cicero, IL is about 194.7 miles (313.3 km), with a travel time of about 03h 06m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 163.9 miles (263.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 13m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
194.69 mi
03h 06m
Flight
163.83 mi
263.66 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Charleston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
163.83 mi
Kilometers
263.66 km
Flight Time
00h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
194.69 mi
Kilometers
313.32 km
Drive Time
03h 06m

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 03h 06m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cicero
Tue, May 19, 10:26 PM CDT
Return by in Charleston
Wed, May 20, 1:32 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Charleston
2026-05-19T19:19
Arrive Cicero
Tue, May 19, 10:26 PM CDT
Route Timing
03h 06m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:07 AM to 11:07 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
10:46 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Charleston
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Buckley
IL

Human settlement in Iroquois County, Illinois, United States of America

From Charleston
92.1 mi
01h 33m
To Cicero
102.6 mi
01h 33m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
65°F
Overnight

Partly Cloudy

Starts
Tue, May 19 2:00 AM CDT
Wind
12 mph S
Destination
80°F
This Afternoon

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Tue, May 19 5:00 PM CDT
Wind
15 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Charleston and Cicero.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Charleston and Cicero.

  1. 1

    Start on Madison Avenue

    146 m · 20 sec · Madison Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto 4th Street

    1.3 km · 2 min · 4th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Lincoln Avenue

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Lincoln Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on Illinois Route 16

    5.3 mi · 7 min · Illinois Route 16

  5. 5

    Continue on Charleston Avenue East

    2035 ft · 39 sec · Charleston Avenue East

  6. 6

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

    2575 ft · 1 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    152 mi · 2 hr 43 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward Vollmer Road

    1475 ft · 42 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Vollmer Road West

    159 m · 17 sec

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Vollmer Road

    1892 ft · 40 sec · Vollmer Road

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Cicero Avenue

    10.8 mi · 17 min · Cicero Avenue

  12. 12

    Continue on South Cicero Avenue

    10.6 mi · 17 min · South Cicero Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left onto West 31st Street

    2705 ft · 58 sec · West 31st Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto South Laramie Avenue

    1 km · 1 min · South Laramie Avenue

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Laramie Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Charleston and Cicero.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
15 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-57 North
152 mi · 78%
Cicero Avenue
10.8 mi · 6%
South Cicero Avenue
10.6 mi · 5%
Illinois Route 16
5.3 mi · 3%
Lincoln Avenue
1.72 mi · 1%
4th Street
0.79 mi
Longest Stretch

I-57 North

Merge slight left

152 mi · 02h 43m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 06m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+30.8 mi
163.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buckley
01h 33m from Charleston
Leave By
10:46 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Partly Cloudy leaving Charleston and Mostly Cloudy near Cicero.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Charleston to Cicero?

The road trip is about 194.7 miles (313.3 km) and usually takes 03h 06m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Buckley is a useful midpoint, sitting about 92.1 miles from Charleston and 102.6 miles from Cicero.

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

The direct path is about 163.9 miles (263.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 30.8 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 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:46 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $25.91 one way or $51.81 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 61.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Cloudy around Charleston and Mostly Cloudy near Cicero.

Stop Ideas Near Buckley

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

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

RAIL

Gilman

19 mi away
US Hwy 24 & West Wenona St.
RAIL

Rantoul

33 mi away
West Sangamon and North Kentucky Aves.
RAIL

Illinois Terminal

56 mi away
45 East University Ave.
RAIL

Pontiac station

59 mi away
721 West Washington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Charleston and Cicero. Straight-line distance: 163.83 mi (263.66 km).

Charleston

#1 Charleston

City in Illinois

Population20,034
Coordinates39.4961500, -88.1761500
Altitude204
CountryUnited States
Cicero

#2 Cicero

Town in Illinois

Population79,727
Coordinates41.8455900, -87.7539400
Altitude184
CountryUnited States
Start: Madison Avenue (-88.176124, 39.496002)
End: South Laramie Avenue (-87.753926, 41.84559)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 313 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 53m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 14m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 46m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 25m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.87 gal
26.01 L · about $25.91
Round trip
$51.81
13.74 gal · 52.02 L
Estimated CO2
61.1 kg one way
Round trip: 122.1 kg / 269 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $25.91 $51.81
Mid-grade $4.25 $29.22 $58.44
Premium $4.65 $31.97 $63.95
Diesel $5.30 $36.44 $72.88

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 20, 2026

There is no time difference between Charleston and Cicero. The current time is 19:19:45.

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.