How far is Elgin, IL from Cambria, IL?

The driving distance from Elgin, IL to Cambria, IL is about 347.5 miles (559.3 km), with a travel time of about 06h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 297.4 miles (478.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 21m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
347.51 mi
06h 40m
Flight
297.38 mi
478.58 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Elgin.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
297.38 mi
Kilometers
478.58 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
347.51 mi
Kilometers
559.26 km
Drive Time
06h 40m

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 06h 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Cambria
Sat, Apr 11, 3:42 PM CDT
Return by in Elgin
Sat, Apr 11, 10:23 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Elgin
2026-04-11T09:02
Arrive Cambria
Sat, Apr 11, 3:42 PM CDT
Route Timing
06h 40m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:41 PM to 2:11 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:38 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Elgin
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

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
Pesotum
IL

Township in Champaign County, Illinois

From Elgin
173.9 mi
03h 20m
To Cambria
173.7 mi
03h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
59°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph ESE
Destination
79°F
Saturday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 1:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 mph ESE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Elgin and Cambria.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elgin and Cambria.

  1. 1

    Start on East Chicago Street

    10 m · 5 sec · East Chicago Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Villa Street

    2.4 mi · 4 min · Villa Street

  3. 3

    Merge slight right onto Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway

    1583 ft · 29 sec · Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway

  4. 4

    Continue on West Lake Street

    5.2 mi · 7 min · West Lake Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Lake Street

    6.7 mi · 11 min · Lake Street

  6. 6

    Continue on West Lake Street

    5.1 mi · 8 min · West Lake Street

  7. 7

    Take the ramp left toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago

    3.1 mi · 4 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

    1648 ft · 40 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Tri-State Tollway

    1937 ft · 47 sec · Tri-State Tollway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    1 mi · 2 min · Tri-State Tollway

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    42 m · 2 sec · Tri-State Tollway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    4.8 mi · 6 min · Tri-State Tollway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    3.5 mi · 4 min · Tri-State Tollway

  14. 14

    Continue on Mile-Long Bridge

    1.5 km · 1 min · Mile-Long Bridge

  15. 15

    Continue on Tri-State Tollway

    8.5 mi · 11 min · Tri-State Tollway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 50 South, IL 83: Cicero Avenue, 127th Street

    1162 ft · 28 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on IL 50 South: Cicero Avenue

    2529 ft · 1 min

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto Cicero Avenue

    4.9 mi · 8 min · Cicero Avenue

  19. 19

    Turn left onto 167th Street

    855 ft · 26 sec · 167th Street

  20. 20

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80

    3048 ft · 1 min

  21. 21

    Merge slight left

    188.4 mi · 3 hr 24 min

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

    65.7 mi · 1 hr 11 min

  23. 23

    Keep slight right to continue on Ken Gray Expressway

    32.7 mi · 35 min · Ken Gray Expressway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward Johnston City, Herrin

    1506 ft · 39 sec

  25. 25

    Turn right onto Herrin Road

    3.1 mi · 5 min · Herrin Road

  26. 26

    Continue on East Herrin Street

    3.1 mi · 5 min · East Herrin Street

  27. 27

    Continue on Herrin Road

    3.5 mi · 5 min · Herrin Road

  28. 28

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Cambria Road

    67 m · 4 sec · Cambria Road

  29. 29

    Exit the roundabout onto Cambria Road

    2804 ft · 49 sec · Cambria Road

  30. 30

    Continue on North Maple Street

    1.5 mi · 3 min · North Maple Street

  31. 31

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Maple Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Elgin and Cambria.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
31 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
3 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 57 South
255 mi · 73%
Ken Gray Expressway
32.7 mi · 9%
Tri-State Tollway
18.2 mi · 5%
West Lake Street
10.3 mi · 3%
Lake Street
6.73 mi · 2%
Herrin Road
6.59 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 57 South

Merge slight left

188 mi · 03h 24m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 40m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+50.1 mi
297.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Pesotum
03h 20m from Elgin
Leave By
10:38 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Elgin and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Cambria.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Elgin to Cambria?

The road trip is about 347.5 miles (559.3 km) and usually takes 06h 40m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Pesotum is a useful midpoint, sitting about 173.9 miles from Elgin and 173.7 miles from Cambria.

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

The direct path is about 297.4 miles (478.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 50.1 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $46.68 one way or $93.37 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 110 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Elgin and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Cambria.

Stop Ideas Near Pesotum

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

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

RAIL

Illinois Terminal

23 mi away
45 East University Ave.
RAIL

Rantoul

45 mi away
West Sangamon and North Kentucky Aves.
RAIL

Mattoon station

49 mi away
1718 Broadway Ave.
BUS

Danville, Illinois

59 mi away
379 Lynch Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Elgin and Cambria. Straight-line distance: 297.38 mi (478.58 km).

Elgin

#1 Elgin

The second most populous city in Kane County, Illinois.

Population110,196
Coordinates42.0372500, -88.2811900
Altitude227
CountryUnited States
Cambria

#2 Cambria

Village in the United States

Population1,648
Coordinates37.7814400, -89.1192500
Altitude130
CountryUnited States
Start: Elgin (-88.28119, 42.03725)
End: Cambria (-89.11925, 37.78144)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 559 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 34m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 56m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 47m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 57m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.38 gal
46.87 L · about $46.68
Round trip
$93.37
24.76 gal · 93.74 L
Estimated CO2
110 kg one way
Round trip: 220 kg / 485 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $46.68 $93.37
Mid-grade $4.25 $52.65 $105.30
Premium $4.65 $57.62 $115.23
Diesel $5.30 $65.66 $131.33

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 11, 2026

There is no time difference between Elgin and Cambria. The current time is 09:02:22.

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.