How far is Evanston, IL from Arcola, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to Arcola, IL is about 179.6 miles (289.1 km), with a travel time of about 03h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 166 miles (267.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 04m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
179.64 mi
03h 32m
Flight
165.96 mi
267.09 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Evanston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
165.96 mi
Kilometers
267.09 km
Flight Time
00h 20m

Driving Distance

Road route
179.64 mi
Kilometers
289.11 km
Drive Time
03h 32m

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 03h 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Arcola
Fri, Apr 17, 8:57 PM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Sat, Apr 18, 12:29 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-04-17T17:24
Arrive Arcola
Fri, Apr 17, 8:57 PM CDT
Route Timing
03h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:32 AM to 11:32 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:56 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Evanston
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Ashkum
IL

Township in Iroquois County, Illinois

From Evanston
89.9 mi
01h 46m
To Arcola
89.8 mi
01h 46m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Friday

Areas Of Fog then Partly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 20 mph SSE
Destination
83°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Evanston and Arcola.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and Arcola.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    60 m · 22 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left

    43 m · 16 sec

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Dempster Street

    65 m · 15 sec · Dempster Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Asbury Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Asbury Avenue

  5. 5

    Continue on North Western Avenue

    5.5 mi · 11 min · North Western Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn left onto North Clybourn Avenue

    1.2 km · 1 min · North Clybourn Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn right onto North Damen Avenue

    1.2 km · 2 min · North Damen Avenue

  8. 8

    Turn left onto West Webster Avenue

    42 m · 3 sec · West Webster Avenue

  9. 9

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 90 East, I 94 East

    1008 ft · 27 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Kennedy Expressway

    3.6 mi · 5 min · Kennedy Expressway

  11. 11

    Continue on Dan Ryan Expressway

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Dan Ryan Expressway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

    8.8 mi · 12 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

    154.7 mi · 2 hr 51 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 133: Arcola, Paris

    1779 ft · 30 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right onto East Springfield Road

    1.1 km · 1 min · East Springfield Road

  16. 16

    Turn right onto South Locust Street

    1445 ft · 1 min · South Locust Street

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Locust Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Evanston and Arcola.

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
17 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 57 South
155 mi · 86%
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
8.83 mi · 5%
North Western Avenue
5.53 mi · 3%
Kennedy Expressway
3.57 mi · 2%
Dan Ryan Expressway
2.42 mi · 1%
Asbury Avenue
1.51 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 57 South

Keep slight right to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

155 mi · 02h 51m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 32m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+13.6 mi
166 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Ashkum
01h 46m from Evanston
Leave By
9:56 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Areas Of Fog then Partly Sunny leaving Evanston and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Arcola.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to Arcola?

The road trip is about 179.6 miles (289.1 km) and usually takes 03h 32m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Ashkum is a useful midpoint, sitting about 89.9 miles from Evanston and 89.8 miles from Arcola.

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

The direct path is about 166 miles (267.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 13.6 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 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:56 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.91 one way or $47.82 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 56.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Areas Of Fog then Partly Sunny around Evanston and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Arcola.

Stop Ideas Near Ashkum

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

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

RAIL

Gilman

14 mi away
US Hwy 24 & West Wenona St.
RAIL

Kankakee

28 mi away
199 South East Ave.
RAIL

Dwight station

46 mi away
119 West Main St.
RAIL

Pontiac station

57 mi away
721 West Washington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and Arcola. Straight-line distance: 165.96 mi (267.09 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Arcola

#2 Arcola

Township in Douglas County, Illinois

Population2,838
Coordinates39.6847600, -88.3064400
Altitude206
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: Arcola (-88.30644, 39.68476)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 289 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 59m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 29m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 35m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 59m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 33m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 14m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.34 gal
24 L · about $23.91
Round trip
$47.82
12.68 gal · 48 L
Estimated CO2
56.3 kg one way
Round trip: 112.7 kg / 248 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $23.91 $47.82
Mid-grade $4.25 $26.96 $53.93
Premium $4.65 $29.51 $59.01
Diesel $5.30 $33.63 $67.25

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 17, 2026

There is no time difference between Evanston and Arcola. The current time is 17:24:59.

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.