How far is Chicago, IL from Forest Park, IL?

The driving distance from Chicago, IL to Forest Park, IL is about 10.7 miles (17.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 18m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 8.6 miles (13.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 37m 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
10.71 mi
00h 18m
Flight
8.66 mi
13.94 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chicago.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
8.66 mi
Kilometers
13.94 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
10.71 mi
Kilometers
17.23 km
Drive Time
00h 18m

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 18m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Forest Park
Thu, Apr 23, 5:13 AM CDT
Return by in Chicago
Thu, Apr 23, 5:31 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chicago
2026-04-23T04:54
Arrive Forest Park
Thu, Apr 23, 5:13 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 18m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:19 AM to 7:19 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:52 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Chicago
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
Austin
IL

Township in Macon County, Illinois

From Chicago
5.3 mi
00h 09m
To Forest Park
5.3 mi
00h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S
Destination
80°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Chicago and Forest Park.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chicago and Forest Park.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    943 ft · 1 min

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left onto West Cermak Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · West Cermak Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Ashland Avenue

    1.7 mi · 3 min · South Ashland Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto West Van Buren Street

    900 ft · 29 sec · West Van Buren Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 290 West

    650 ft · 16 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Eisenhower Expressway

    6.6 mi · 9 min · Eisenhower Expressway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight left toward IL 43: Harlem Avenue

    1411 ft · 38 sec

  8. 8

    Turn right onto South Harlem Avenue

    2179 ft · 1 min · South Harlem Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Madison Street

    2436 ft · 51 sec · Madison Street

  10. 10

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Madison Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chicago and Forest Park.

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
10 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
93.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Eisenhower Expressway
6.61 mi · 62%
South Ashland Avenue
1.66 mi · 15%
West Cermak Road
0.83 mi · 8%
Madison Street
0.46 mi · 4%
South Harlem Avenue
0.41 mi · 4%
IL 43
0.27 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Eisenhower Expressway

Merge slight left onto Eisenhower Expressway

6.61 mi · 00h 09m

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 18m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.1 mi
8.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Austin
00h 09m from Chicago
Leave By
7:52 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Chicago and Mostly Sunny near Forest Park.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Chicago to Forest Park?

The road trip is about 10.7 miles (17.2 km) and usually takes 00h 18m 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?

Austin is a useful midpoint, sitting about 5.3 miles from Chicago and 5.3 miles from Forest Park.

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

The direct path is about 8.6 miles (13.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.1 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 7:52 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.43 one way or $2.87 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Chicago and Mostly Sunny near Forest Park.

Stop Ideas Near Austin

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

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

RAIL

Chicago Union Station

10 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

Summit

11 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.
RAIL

La Grange Road

12 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Glenview station

21 mi away
1116 Depot St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chicago and Forest Park. Straight-line distance: 8.66 mi (13.94 km).

Chicago

#1 Chicago

The third most populous city in the United States and the center of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Population2,677,643
Coordinates41.850033, -87.6500523
Altitude179
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Forest Park

Village in Illinois

Population13,534
Coordinates41.8794800, -87.8136700
Altitude190
CountryUnited States
Start: Chicago (-87.650052, 41.850033)
End: Forest Park (-87.81367, 41.87948)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 17 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 21m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 12m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 10m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.38 gal
1.43 L · about $1.43
Round trip
$2.87
0.76 gal · 2.86 L
Estimated CO2
3.4 kg one way
Round trip: 6.8 kg / 15 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $1.43 $2.87
Mid-grade $4.25 $1.62 $3.23
Premium $4.65 $1.77 $3.54
Diesel $5.30 $2.02 $4.03

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 Chicago and Forest Park. The current time is 04:54:16.

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.