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

The driving distance from Downers Grove, IL to Palatine, IL is about 22.6 miles (36.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 20.9 miles (33.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 08m 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
22.64 mi
00h 34m
Flight
20.86 mi
33.57 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Downers Grove.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
20.86 mi
Kilometers
33.57 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
22.64 mi
Kilometers
36.44 km
Drive Time
00h 34m

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 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Palatine
Sun, Apr 19, 2:15 AM CDT
Return by in Downers Grove
Sun, Apr 19, 2:49 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Downers Grove
2026-04-19T01:40
Arrive Palatine
Sun, Apr 19, 2:15 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:34 AM to 7:34 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:22 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
Itasca
IL

Village in Illinois, U.

From Downers Grove
11.3 mi
00h 17m
To Palatine
11.3 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
51°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    11 m · 31 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Main Street

    2850 ft · 1 min · Main Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Highland Avenue

    1.3 mi · 3 min · Highland Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn slight left onto IL 56 West

    1343 ft · 51 sec

  5. 5

    Turn straight onto Butterfield Road

    1 km · 1 min · Butterfield Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs

    1 km · 1 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Tollway

    9 mi · 11 min · Veterans Memorial Tollway

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    5.6 mi · 7 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left

    2.2 mi · 3 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Kirchoff Road

    1873 ft · 50 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Kirchoff Road

    853 ft · 25 sec · Kirchoff Road

  12. 12

    Turn right onto West Frontage Road

    122 m · 9 sec · West Frontage Road

  13. 13

    Continue on Hicks Road

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Hicks Road

  14. 14

    Turn left onto East Northwest Highway

    1662 ft · 55 sec · East Northwest Highway

  15. 15

    Turn left onto East Palatine Road

    22 m · 1 sec · East Palatine Road

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Palatine Road

Car Route Details

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

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
16 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
70.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Veterans Memorial Tollway
16.8 mi · 74%
Hicks Road
1.53 mi · 7%
Highland Avenue
1.3 mi · 6%
Butterfield Road
0.63 mi · 3%
I 355 Toll North
0.62 mi · 3%
Main Street
0.55 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Veterans Memorial Tollway

Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Tollway

9.02 mi · 00h 11m

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 34m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 08m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.7 mi
20.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Itasca
00h 17m from Downers Grove
Leave By
7:22 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Downers Grove and Mostly Sunny near Palatine.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 22.6 miles (36.4 km) and usually takes 00h 34m 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?

Itasca is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.3 miles from Downers Grove and 11.3 miles from Palatine.

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

The direct path is about 20.9 miles (33.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.7 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 7:22 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.02 one way or $6.03 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Itasca

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

20 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

La Grange Road

21 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Naperville

25 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

Summit

26 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Downers Grove and Palatine. Straight-line distance: 20.86 mi (33.57 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
Palatine

#2 Palatine

Village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Population66,830
Coordinates42.1103000, -88.0342400
Altitude226
CountryUnited States
Start: Downers Grove (-88.01117, 41.80892)
End: Palatine (-88.03424, 42.1103)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 36 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 33m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 27m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 19m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.8 gal
3.02 L · about $3.02
Round trip
$6.03
1.6 gal · 6.04 L
Estimated CO2
7.1 kg one way
Round trip: 14.2 kg / 31 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.02 $6.03
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.40 $6.80
Premium $4.65 $3.72 $7.45
Diesel $5.30 $4.24 $8.49

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 Palatine. The current time is 01:40:41.

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.