How far is Elgin, IL from Saline, IL?

The driving distance from Elgin, IL to Saline, IL is about 360.8 miles (580.6 km), with a travel time of about 07h 11m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 304.2 miles (489.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 22m 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
360.74 mi
07h 11m
Flight
304.25 mi
489.64 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
304.25 mi
Kilometers
489.64 km
Flight Time
00h 36m

Driving Distance

Road route
360.74 mi
Kilometers
580.56 km
Drive Time
07h 11m

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 07h 11m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Saline
Thu, Apr 23, 9:29 AM CDT
Return by in Elgin
Thu, Apr 23, 4:40 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Elgin
2026-04-23T02:17
Arrive Saline
Thu, Apr 23, 9:29 AM CDT
Route Timing
07h 11m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:11 PM to 2:41 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
9:38 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
Tuscola
IL

City in Illinois

From Elgin
180.4 mi
03h 35m
To Saline
180.3 mi
03h 35m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S
Destination
82°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 15 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    37.4 mi · 40 min · Ken Gray Expressway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale

    1758 ft · 43 sec

  25. 25

    Keep slight left to continue on IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale

    2421 ft · 59 sec

  26. 26

    Keep slight left

    1102 ft · 29 sec

  27. 27

    Merge slight right onto West Deyoung Street

    7.8 mi · 11 min · West Deyoung Street

  28. 28

    Turn right onto Crab Orchard Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Crab Orchard Road

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Saraville Road

    3.7 mi · 9 min · Saraville Road

  30. 30

    Keep slight left to continue on Stonefort Road

    5.1 mi · 12 min · Stonefort Road

  31. 31

    Continue on Will Scarlet Road

    1.3 mi · 5 min · Will Scarlet Road

  32. 32

    Turn left onto Peabody Road

    1.2 km · 3 min · Peabody Road

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Peabody Road

Car Route Details

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

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
33 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
4 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 57 South
255 mi · 71%
Ken Gray Expressway
37.4 mi · 10%
Tri-State Tollway
18.2 mi · 5%
West Lake Street
10.3 mi · 3%
West Deyoung Street
7.78 mi · 2%
Lake Street
6.73 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
07h 11m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
14h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+56.6 mi
304.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Tuscola
03h 35m from Elgin
Leave By
9:38 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Elgin and Sunny near Saline.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 360.8 miles (580.6 km) and usually takes 07h 11m 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?

Tuscola is a useful midpoint, sitting about 180.4 miles from Elgin and 180.3 miles from Saline.

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

The direct path is about 304.2 miles (489.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 56.6 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 $48.00 one way or $96.01 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 113.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Elgin and Sunny near Saline.

Stop Ideas Near Tuscola

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

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

RAIL

Illinois Terminal

35 mi away
45 East University Ave.
RAIL

Mattoon station

36 mi away
1718 Broadway Ave.
RAIL

Rantoul

58 mi away
West Sangamon and North Kentucky Aves.
BUS

Danville, Illinois

66 mi away
379 Lynch Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Elgin and Saline. Straight-line distance: 304.25 mi (489.64 km).

Elgin

#1 Elgin

The second most populous city in Kane County, Illinois.

Population110,196
Coordinates42.0372500, -88.2811900
Altitude227
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Saline

This southern Illinois community, with a population of approximately 23,182, is situated at an elevation of 400 feet in Saline County.

Population23,182
Coordinates37.6453300, -88.6958900
Altitude122
CountryUnited States
Start: Elgin (-88.28119, 42.03725)
End: Saline (-88.69589, 37.64533)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 581 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 01m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 01m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 12m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 00m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 30m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.73 gal
48.19 L · about $48.00
Round trip
$96.01
25.46 gal · 96.38 L
Estimated CO2
113.1 kg one way
Round trip: 226.3 kg / 499 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $48.00 $96.01
Mid-grade $4.25 $54.14 $108.28
Premium $4.65 $59.25 $118.49
Diesel $5.30 $67.52 $135.04

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Elgin and Saline. The current time is 02:17:32.

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.