How far is Elgin, IL from Racine, WI?

The driving distance from Elgin, IL to Racine, WI is about 69.8 miles (112.4 km), with a travel time of about 01h 45m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 53.9 miles (86.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 31m 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
69.82 mi
01h 45m
Flight
53.97 mi
86.85 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Elgin.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
53.97 mi
Kilometers
86.85 km
Flight Time
00h 06m

Driving Distance

Road route
69.82 mi
Kilometers
112.37 km
Drive Time
01h 45m

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 01h 45m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Racine
Tue, Aug 11, 11:21 AM CDT
Return by in Elgin
Tue, Aug 11, 1:07 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Elgin
2026-08-11T09:36
Arrive Racine
Tue, Aug 11, 11:21 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 45m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:46 AM to 11:46 AM CDT

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

Leave by
2:58 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Elgin
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Wilson
IL

Human settlement in United States of America

From Elgin
34.9 mi
00h 52m
To Racine
34.9 mi
00h 52m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
83°F
Tuesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Tue, Aug 11 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph SSE
Destination
78°F
Tuesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Tue, Aug 11 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph E

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on East Chicago Street

    10 m · 8 sec · East Chicago Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Center Street

    846 ft · 24 sec · Center Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Dundee Avenue

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Dundee Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Page Avenue

    612 ft · 18 sec · Page Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn straight onto North Liberty Street

    905 ft · 20 sec · North Liberty Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Dundee Avenue

    2862 ft · 50 sec · Dundee Avenue

  7. 7

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 90 Toll West, I 90 Toll East: Rockford, Chicago

    765 ft · 19 sec

  8. 8

    Continue on I 90 West, I 90 East: Rockford, Chicago

    148 m · 12 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 90 Toll East: Chicago

    2012 ft · 49 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    2.7 mi · 3 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 59

    2334 ft · 60 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left onto New Sutton Road

    3.6 mi · 6 min · New Sutton Road

  13. 13

    Continue on Dundee Road

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Dundee Road

  14. 14

    Continue on New Sutton Road

    1.7 mi · 2 min · New Sutton Road

  15. 15

    Continue on South Hough Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · South Hough Street

  16. 16

    Continue on North Hough Road

    6.4 mi · 10 min · North Hough Road

  17. 17

    Continue on Barrington Road

    2852 ft · 1 min · Barrington Road

  18. 18

    Turn right onto West Liberty Street

    3.4 mi · 6 min · West Liberty Street

  19. 19

    Turn right

    1.9 mi · 3 min

  20. 20

    Continue straight

    46 m · 4 sec

  21. 21

    Turn left onto Schank Avenue

    797 ft · 24 sec · Schank Avenue

  22. 22

    Continue on Ivanhoe Road

    2 mi · 3 min · Ivanhoe Road

  23. 23

    Turn right onto Peterson Road

    2683 ft · 57 sec · Peterson Road

  24. 24

    Turn left onto North Midlothian Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · North Midlothian Road

  25. 25

    Continue on West Casey Road

    2.7 mi · 5 min · West Casey Road

  26. 26

    At the end of the road, turn left onto North Milwaukee Avenue

    3 mi · 5 min · North Milwaukee Avenue

  27. 27

    Turn left onto I 94 Toll West: Wisconsin

    2145 ft · 52 sec

  28. 28

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    21.6 mi · 24 min · Tri-State Tollway

  29. 29

    Take the exit slight right toward CTH KR: Mount Pleasant, Somers

    769 ft · 19 sec

  30. 30

    Turn right onto County Line Road

    7.4 mi · 13 min · County Line Road

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Sheridan Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Sheridan Road

  32. 32

    Continue on Highway 32

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Highway 32

  33. 33

    Continue on Racine Street

    110 m · 12 sec · Racine Street

  34. 34

    Turn right onto 24th Street

    1611 ft · 44 sec · 24th Street

  35. 35

    Continue on Roosevelt Park Drive

    1536 ft · 43 sec · Roosevelt Park Drive

  36. 36

    Turn right onto Caron Butler Drive

    146 m · 13 sec · Caron Butler Drive

  37. 37

    Continue on Wisconsin Avenue

    1.5 mi · 4 min · Wisconsin Avenue

  38. 38

    Turn right onto 7th Street

    75 m · 8 sec · 7th Street

  39. 39

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 7th Street

Car Route Details

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

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
39 steps
16 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
55.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
21.6 mi · 31%
County Line Road
7.39 mi · 11%
North Hough Road
6.35 mi · 9%
New Sutton Road
5.29 mi · 8%
West Liberty Street
3.43 mi · 5%
North Milwaukee Avenue
3.01 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

21.6 mi · 00h 24m

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
01h 45m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+15.9 mi
53.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Wilson
00h 52m from Elgin
Leave By
2:58 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Elgin and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Racine.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 69.8 miles (112.4 km) and usually takes 01h 45m 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?

Wilson is a useful midpoint, sitting about 34.9 miles from Elgin and 34.9 miles from Racine.

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

The direct path is about 53.9 miles (86.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 15.9 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 2:58 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $9.28 one way or $18.55 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 21.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Elgin and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Racine.

Stop Ideas Near Wilson

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

31 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Sturtevant station

41 mi away
9900 East Exploration Court
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

57 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

59 mi away
25 West Burlington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Elgin and Racine. Straight-line distance: 53.97 mi (86.85 km).

Elgin

#1 Elgin

The second most populous city in Kane County, Illinois.

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

#2 Racine

The second most populous city in Racine County, Wisconsin.

Population76,237
Coordinates42.7261300, -87.7828500
Altitude188
CountryUnited States
Start: Elgin (-88.28119, 42.03725)
End: Racine (-87.78285, 42.72613)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 112 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 19m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 44m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 23m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 09m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 59m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 52m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.46 gal
9.33 L · about $9.28
Round trip
$18.55
4.92 gal · 18.66 L
Estimated CO2
21.9 kg one way
Round trip: 43.7 kg / 96 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $9.28 $18.55
Mid-grade $4.25 $10.46 $20.92
Premium $4.65 $11.45 $22.90
Diesel $5.30 $13.05 $26.10

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 · Aug 11, 2026

There is no time difference between Elgin and Racine. The current time is 09:36:06.

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.