How far is Elmhurst, IL from Braidwood, IL?

The driving distance from Elmhurst, IL to Braidwood, IL is about 55.1 miles (88.6 km), with a travel time of about 01h 12m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 46 miles (74.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 25m 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
55.08 mi
01h 12m
Flight
46.03 mi
74.08 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Elmhurst.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
46.03 mi
Kilometers
74.08 km
Flight Time
00h 05m

Driving Distance

Road route
55.08 mi
Kilometers
88.64 km
Drive Time
01h 12m

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 12m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Braidwood
Thu, Oct 15, 2:41 PM CDT
Return by in Elmhurst
Thu, Oct 15, 3:54 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Elmhurst
2026-10-15T13:28
Arrive Braidwood
Thu, Oct 15, 2:41 PM CDT
Route Timing
01h 12m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:13 AM to 11:13 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:04 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Elmhurst
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
Crystal Lawns
IL

Census designated place

From Elmhurst
27.5 mi
00h 36m
To Braidwood
27.5 mi
00h 36m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
62°F
Thursday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph E
Destination
66°F
Thursday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Elmhurst and Braidwood.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elmhurst and Braidwood.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    81 m · 25 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left

    15 m · 9 sec

  3. 3

    Turn left onto West Park Avenue

    110 m · 14 sec · West Park Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto South York Street

    2.1 mi · 4 min · South York Street

  5. 5

    Continue on South York Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · South York Road

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Frontage Road

    570 ft · 19 sec · Frontage Road

  7. 7

    Take the ramp left toward I 88 West, IL 110: West Aurora

    993 ft · 24 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    5.5 mi · 7 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 355 South: Joliet

    1.2 km · 56 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Tollway

    8.6 mi · 11 min · Veterans Memorial Tollway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 55 South: Joliet Road, Saint Louis

    1453 ft · 36 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Joliet Road South

    1965 ft · 48 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis

    706 ft · 17 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway

    33 mi · 38 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 113: Coal City, Kankakee

    1649 ft · 44 sec

  16. 16

    Turn left onto West Coal City Road

    1602 ft · 33 sec · West Coal City Road

  17. 17

    Turn right onto North Division Street

    1.7 mi · 3 min · North Division Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto West Main Street

    1.2 km · 2 min · West Main Street

  19. 19

    Turn left onto North Washington Street

    49 m · 9 sec · North Washington Street

  20. 20

    Turn left

    61 m · 15 sec

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Elmhurst and Braidwood.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
21 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
38.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
33 mi · 60%
Veterans Memorial Tollway
8.56 mi · 16%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
5.52 mi · 10%
South York Street
2.1 mi · 4%
North Division Street
1.7 mi · 3%
South York Road
0.84 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway

33 mi · 00h 38m

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 12m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.1 mi
46 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Crystal Lawns
00h 36m from Elmhurst
Leave By
4:04 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Elmhurst and Showers And Thunderstorms near Braidwood.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Elmhurst to Braidwood?

The road trip is about 55.1 miles (88.6 km) and usually takes 01h 12m 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?

Crystal Lawns is a useful midpoint, sitting about 27.5 miles from Elmhurst and 27.5 miles from Braidwood.

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

The direct path is about 46 miles (74.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.1 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 4:04 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $9.05 one way or $18.10 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 17.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Elmhurst and Showers And Thunderstorms near Braidwood.

Stop Ideas Near Crystal Lawns

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

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

RAIL

Joliet Transportation Center

8 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street
RAIL

Naperville

23 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

Plano

33 mi away
101 West Main Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

36 mi away
25 West Burlington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Elmhurst and Braidwood. Straight-line distance: 46.03 mi (74.08 km).

Elmhurst

#1 Elmhurst

A city in DuPage County, Illinois.

Population46,532
Coordinates41.8994700, -87.9403400
Altitude209
CountryUnited States
Braidwood

#2 Braidwood

City in Will County, Illinois, United States

Population6,148
Coordinates41.2650300, -88.2122800
Altitude176
CountryUnited States
Start: Elmhurst (-87.94034, 41.89947)
End: Braidwood (-88.21228, 41.26503)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 89 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 50m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 22m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 06m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 55m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 47m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 41m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.94 gal
7.36 L · about $9.05
Round trip
$18.10
3.88 gal · 14.72 L
Estimated CO2
17.2 kg one way
Round trip: 34.5 kg / 76 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.67 $9.05 $18.10
Mid-grade $5.29 $10.27 $20.53
Premium $5.84 $11.32 $22.65
Diesel $6.57 $12.75 $25.50

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 · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Elmhurst and Braidwood. The current time is 13:28:35.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.