How far is Earlville, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from Earlville, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 105.1 miles (169.1 km), with a travel time of about 02h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 77 miles (123.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 50m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
105.06 mi
02h 25m
Flight
76.96 mi
123.85 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Earlville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
76.96 mi
Kilometers
123.85 km
Flight Time
00h 09m

Driving Distance

Road route
105.06 mi
Kilometers
169.07 km
Drive Time
02h 25m

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 02h 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Sat, Apr 18, 3:16 AM CDT
Return by in Earlville
Sat, Apr 18, 5:41 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Earlville
2026-04-18T00:51
Arrive Waukegan
Sat, Apr 18, 3:16 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:25 AM to 12:25 PM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
1:40 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Earlville
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Lisle
IL

Town in Illinois

From Earlville
52.5 mi
01h 12m
To Waukegan
52.6 mi
01h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph WSW
Destination
64°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on West Winthrop Street

    41 m · 6 sec · West Winthrop Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto South Ottawa Street

    1.1 km · 2 min · South Ottawa Street

  3. 3

    Continue on County Highway 41

    584 ft · 23 sec · County Highway 41

  4. 4

    Turn left

    23.9 mi · 38 min

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Eldamain Road

    3.5 mi · 5 min · Eldamain Road

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Galena Road

    2 mi · 3 min · Galena Road

  7. 7

    Turn left onto North Bridge Street

    1.2 mi · 2 min · North Bridge Street

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    2.9 mi · 3 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 56 East: Chicago

    2171 ft · 53 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    24.8 mi · 31 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    4.7 mi · 6 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford

    3128 ft · 1 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee

    1156 ft · 28 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    35.2 mi · 43 min · Tri-State Tollway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road

    1923 ft · 47 sec

  16. 16

    Turn straight onto Belvidere Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Road

  17. 17

    Continue on Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  19. 19

    Turn left onto South Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · South Jackson Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
20 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
19 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
35.2 mi · 34%
IL 56 East
25.2 mi · 24%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
4.74 mi · 5%
North Bridge Street
4.03 mi · 4%
Eldamain Road
3.53 mi · 3%
Galena Road
2.04 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

35.2 mi · 00h 43m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 25m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+28.1 mi
77 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lisle
01h 12m from Earlville
Leave By
1:40 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Earlville and Showers And Thunderstorms near Waukegan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 105.1 miles (169.1 km) and usually takes 02h 25m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Lisle is a useful midpoint, sitting about 52.5 miles from Earlville and 52.6 miles from Waukegan.

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

The direct path is about 77 miles (123.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 28.1 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 1:40 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $13.99 one way or $27.98 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 33 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Earlville and Showers And Thunderstorms near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Lisle

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

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

RAIL

Naperville

6 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

La Grange Road

17 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

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

Joliet Transportation Center

31 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Earlville and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 76.96 mi (123.85 km).

Earlville

#1 Earlville

City in Delaware County, Iowa, United States of America

Population1,570
Coordinates41.5894800, -88.9220300
Altitude215
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Earlville (-88.92203, 41.58948)
End: Waukegan (-87.84479, 42.36363)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 169 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 30m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 06m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 45m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.71 gal
14.03 L · about $13.99
Round trip
$27.98
7.42 gal · 28.06 L
Estimated CO2
33 kg one way
Round trip: 65.9 kg / 145 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $13.99 $27.98
Mid-grade $4.25 $15.78 $31.56
Premium $4.65 $17.27 $34.53
Diesel $5.30 $19.68 $39.36

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Earlville and Waukegan. The current time is 00:51:19.

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.