How far is Downers Grove, IL from Joliet, IL?

The driving distance from Downers Grove, IL to Joliet, IL is about 23.7 miles (38.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 35m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 19.9 miles (32.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 10m 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
23.71 mi
00h 35m
Flight
19.95 mi
32.11 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Downers Grove.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
19.95 mi
Kilometers
32.11 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
23.71 mi
Kilometers
38.15 km
Drive Time
00h 35m

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 35m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Joliet
Sun, Apr 19, 12:39 AM CDT
Return by in Downers Grove
Sun, Apr 19, 1:15 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Downers Grove
2026-04-19T00:04
Arrive Joliet
Sun, Apr 19, 12:39 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 35m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:35 AM to 7:35 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:20 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Downers Grove
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
Lemont
IL

Historic village in the U.

From Downers Grove
13.5 mi
00h 17m
To Joliet
10.2 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WNW
Destination
53°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Downers Grove and Joliet.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Downers Grove and Joliet.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    11 m · 4 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Ogden Avenue

    2.4 mi · 5 min · Ogden Avenue

  3. 3

    Take the ramp left toward I 355 South: Joliet

    1247 ft · 30 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Tollway

    17.9 mi · 21 min · Veterans Memorial Tollway

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward US 6: Southwest Highway

    2125 ft · 52 sec

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Maple Road

    4.3 mi · 7 min · Maple Road

  7. 7

    Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

    1286 ft · 36 sec · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on East Jackson Street

    1.1 mi · 3 min · East Jackson Street

  9. 9

    Turn left onto North Ottawa Street

    2196 ft · 1 min · North Ottawa Street

  10. 10

    Turn right

    34 m · 8 sec

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Downers Grove and Joliet.

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
11 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
46.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Veterans Memorial Tollway
17.9 mi · 76%
Maple Road
4.34 mi · 18%
Ogden Avenue
2.39 mi · 10%
East Jackson Street
1.12 mi · 5%
North Ottawa Street
0.42 mi · 2%
US 6
0.4 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Veterans Memorial Tollway

Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Tollway

17.9 mi · 00h 21m

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 35m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.8 mi
19.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lemont
00h 17m from Downers Grove
Leave By
7:20 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Downers Grove and Mostly Sunny near Joliet.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Downers Grove to Joliet?

The road trip is about 23.7 miles (38.2 km) and usually takes 00h 35m 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?

Lemont is a useful midpoint, sitting about 13.5 miles from Downers Grove and 10.2 miles from Joliet.

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

The direct path is about 19.9 miles (32.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.8 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:20 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.17 one way or $6.34 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Downers Grove and Mostly Sunny near Joliet.

Stop Ideas Near Lemont

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

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

RAIL

Naperville

17 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

Joliet Transportation Center

18 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

19 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

20 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Downers Grove and Joliet. Straight-line distance: 19.95 mi (32.11 km).

Downers Grove

#1 Downers Grove

Village in Downers Grove, Lisle, and York Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, US

Population48,727
Coordinates41.8089200, -88.0111700
Altitude226
CountryUnited States
Joliet

#2 Joliet

The second most populous city in Will County, Illinois.

Population85,583
Coordinates41.5251900, -88.0834000
Altitude165
CountryUnited States
Start: Main Street (-88.011081, 41.808922)
End: (-88.083409, 41.525419)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 38 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 47m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 35m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 23m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.84 gal
3.17 L · about $3.17
Round trip
$6.34
1.68 gal · 6.34 L
Estimated CO2
7.5 kg one way
Round trip: 14.9 kg / 33 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.17 $6.34
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.57 $7.15
Premium $4.65 $3.91 $7.82
Diesel $5.30 $4.46 $8.91

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Downers Grove and Joliet. The current time is 00:04:37.

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.