How far is Elk Grove Village, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from Elk Grove Village, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 38.5 miles (62 km), with a travel time of about 00h 48m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 25.7 miles (41.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 36m 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
38.54 mi
00h 48m
Flight
25.67 mi
41.31 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Elk Grove Village.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
25.67 mi
Kilometers
41.31 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
38.54 mi
Kilometers
62.03 km
Drive Time
00h 48m

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 48m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Sun, Apr 19, 10:31 AM CDT
Return by in Elk Grove Village
Sun, Apr 19, 11:19 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Elk Grove Village
2026-04-19T09:42
Arrive Waukegan
Sun, Apr 19, 10:31 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 48m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:48 AM to 10:48 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:54 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Elk Grove Village
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
Riverwoods
IL

City in Illinois, United States of America

From Elk Grove Village
17.6 mi
00h 24m
To Waukegan
21 mi
00h 24m

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
15 mph WNW
Destination
49°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 Elk Grove Village and Waukegan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elk Grove Village and Waukegan.

  1. 1

    Start on Lively Boulevard

    3109 ft · 1 min · Lively Boulevard

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Landmeier Road

    2706 ft · 1 min · Landmeier Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Busse Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Busse Road

  4. 4

    Continue on South Busse Road

    1.8 mi · 3 min · South Busse Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto West Golf Road

    2 mi · 3 min · West Golf Road

  6. 6

    Continue on East Golf Road

    2456 ft · 48 sec · East Golf Road

  7. 7

    Continue on North Wolf Road

    1328 ft · 25 sec · North Wolf Road

  8. 8

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward East Golf Road

    23 m · 1 sec · East Golf Road

  9. 9

    Exit the roundabout onto East Golf Road

    2.2 mi · 4 min · East Golf Road

  10. 10

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 294 North Toll: Wisconsin

    1.1 km · 1 min

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    21 mi · 25 min · Tri-State Tollway

  12. 12

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

    1923 ft · 47 sec

  13. 13

    Turn straight onto Belvidere Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Road

  14. 14

    Continue on Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn left onto South Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · South Jackson Street

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Elk Grove Village and Waukegan.

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
17 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
44.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
21 mi · 54%
East Golf Road
2.67 mi · 7%
West Golf Road
2.02 mi · 5%
Belvidere Road
1.87 mi · 5%
South Busse Road
1.79 mi · 5%
Belvidere Street
1.65 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

21 mi · 00h 25m

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
00h 48m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+12.8 mi
25.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Riverwoods
00h 24m from Elk Grove Village
Leave By
4:54 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Elk Grove Village and Mostly Sunny near Waukegan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Elk Grove Village to Waukegan?

The road trip is about 38.5 miles (62 km) and usually takes 00h 48m 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?

Riverwoods is a useful midpoint, sitting about 17.6 miles from Elk Grove Village and 21 miles from Waukegan.

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

The direct path is about 25.7 miles (41.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 12.8 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 4:54 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.13 one way or $10.26 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Elk Grove Village and Mostly Sunny near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Riverwoods

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

13 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

39 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

39 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

42 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Elk Grove Village and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 25.67 mi (41.31 km).

Elk Grove Village

#1 Elk Grove Village

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population31,831
Coordinates42.0039200, -87.9703500
Altitude209
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Greenleaf Avenue (-87.970356, 42.003889)
End: North Jackson Street (-87.844706, 42.363629)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 62 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 17m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 57m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 46m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 38m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 33m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.36 gal
5.15 L · about $5.13
Round trip
$10.26
2.72 gal · 10.3 L
Estimated CO2
12.1 kg one way
Round trip: 24.2 kg / 53 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.13 $10.26
Mid-grade $4.25 $5.78 $11.57
Premium $4.65 $6.33 $12.66
Diesel $5.30 $7.21 $14.43

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 Elk Grove Village and Waukegan. The current time is 09:42:35.

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.