How far is Elmhurst, IL from Riverwoods, IL?

The driving distance from Elmhurst, IL to Riverwoods, IL is about 23.6 miles (38 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18.6 miles (30 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 08m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
23.61 mi
00h 34m
Flight
18.65 mi
30.02 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Elmhurst.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.65 mi
Kilometers
30.02 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
23.61 mi
Kilometers
38 km
Drive Time
00h 34m

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 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Riverwoods
Sun, Apr 19, 1:05 PM CDT
Return by in Elmhurst
Sun, Apr 19, 1:39 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Elmhurst
2026-04-19T12:31
Arrive Riverwoods
Sun, Apr 19, 1:05 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:34 AM to 7:34 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:22 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Elmhurst
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

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
Des Plaines
IL

The most populous city in Cook County, Illinois.

From Elmhurst
11.8 mi
00h 17m
To Riverwoods
11.8 mi
00h 17m

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
10 to 15 mph WNW
Destination
52°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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 · 18 sec · West Park Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto North York Street

    2517 ft · 1 min · North York Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto East North Avenue

    1.4 km · 2 min · East North Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn slight right

    958 ft · 35 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin

    1754 ft · 43 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    20 mi · 25 min · Tri-State Tollway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Deerfield Road

    1753 ft · 45 sec

  10. 10

    Turn left

    40 m · 5 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Deerfield Road

    1.3 mi · 3 min · Deerfield Road

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Portwine Road

    2 m · 1 sec · Portwine Road

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Portwine Road

Car Route Details

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

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
13 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
55.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
20 mi · 85%
Deerfield Road
1.61 mi · 7%
East North Avenue
0.89 mi · 4%
North York Street
0.48 mi · 2%
I 294 Toll North
0.33 mi · 1%
West Park Avenue
0.07 mi
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

20 mi · 00h 25m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 34m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 08m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5 mi
18.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Des Plaines
00h 17m from Elmhurst
Leave By
7:22 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Elmhurst and Sunny near Riverwoods.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 23.6 miles (38 km) and usually takes 00h 34m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Des Plaines is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.8 miles from Elmhurst and 11.8 miles from Riverwoods.

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

The direct path is about 18.6 miles (30 km), while the road route adds roughly 5 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:22 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.13 one way or $6.26 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Elmhurst and Sunny near Riverwoods.

Stop Ideas Near Des Plaines

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

8 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

La Grange Road

24 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

27 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

27 mi away
225 South Canal Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Elmhurst and Riverwoods. Straight-line distance: 18.65 mi (30.02 km).

Elmhurst

#1 Elmhurst

A city in DuPage County, Illinois.

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

#2 Riverwoods

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population3,534
Coordinates42.1675300, -87.8970100
Altitude200
CountryUnited States
Start: Elmhurst (-87.94034, 41.89947)
End: Riverwoods (-87.89701, 42.16753)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 38 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 47m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 35m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 23m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.83 gal
3.15 L · about $3.13
Round trip
$6.26
1.66 gal · 6.3 L
Estimated CO2
7.4 kg one way
Round trip: 14.8 kg / 33 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.13 $6.26
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.53 $7.06
Premium $4.65 $3.86 $7.73
Diesel $5.30 $4.40 $8.80

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 Elmhurst and Riverwoods. The current time is 12:31:17.

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.