How far is Evanston, IL from Galesburg, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to Galesburg, IL is about 205.1 miles (330.1 km), with a travel time of about 03h 59m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 158 miles (254.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 58m 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
205.11 mi
03h 59m
Flight
157.98 mi
254.24 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
157.98 mi
Kilometers
254.24 km
Flight Time
00h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
205.11 mi
Kilometers
330.09 km
Drive Time
03h 59m

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 59m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Galesburg
Thu, May 14, 9:53 AM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Thu, May 14, 1:52 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-05-14T05:53
Arrive Galesburg
Thu, May 14, 9:53 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 59m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:59 AM to 11:59 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
9:02 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
Nachusa
IL

Township in Lee County, Illinois

From Evanston
102.5 mi
01h 59m
To Galesburg
102.7 mi
01h 59m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
58°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, May 14 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph NNE
Destination
75°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, May 14 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph SE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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 mi · 2 min · Asbury Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Oakton Street

    4 mi · 7 min · Oakton Street

  6. 6

    Turn slight left onto Gross Point Road

    2627 ft · 52 sec · Gross Point Road

  7. 7

    Turn straight onto New Gross Point Road

    531 ft · 15 sec · New Gross Point Road

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Howard Street

    1222 ft · 35 sec · Howard Street

  9. 9

    Turn left onto North Lehigh Avenue

    37 m · 2 sec · North Lehigh Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn right onto West Gross Point Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · West Gross Point Road

  11. 11

    Turn slight right onto West Touhy Avenue

    4 mi · 8 min · West Touhy Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road

    56 m · 4 sec · South Des Plaines River Road

  13. 13

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 294 South: Indiana

    2265 ft · 55 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    8.9 mi · 12 min · Tri-State Tollway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

    1.5 km · 2 min · Tri-State Tollway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    1251 ft · 31 sec · Tri-State Tollway

  17. 17

    Continue on Tri-State Tollway

    1937 ft · 47 sec · Tri-State Tollway

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on I 88 West Toll: Aurora

    2633 ft · 50 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    1.2 km · 60 sec · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  20. 20

    Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    25.1 mi · 30 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    69.5 mi · 1 hr 14 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  22. 22

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

  23. 23

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

    37.8 mi · 40 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

  24. 24

    Continue on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

    5.4 mi · 6 min · Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80: Peoria

    7.1 mi · 8 min

  26. 26

    Keep slight left to continue on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

    34 mi · 36 min · Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward Galesburg, East Galesburg

    549 ft · 13 sec

  28. 28

    Keep slight right to continue on Galesburg, East Galesburg

    64 m · 5 sec

  29. 29

    Turn straight onto East Main Street

    1.9 mi · 3 min · East Main Street

  30. 30

    Enter the roundabout toward Public Square

    69 m · 4 sec · Public Square

  31. 31

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Public Square

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
31 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
15.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
95.3 mi · 46%
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
39.5 mi · 19%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
38.9 mi · 19%
Tri-State Tollway
10 mi · 5%
I 80
7.13 mi · 3%
West Touhy Avenue
4.03 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

69.5 mi · 01h 14m

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 59m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+47.1 mi
158 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Nachusa
01h 59m from Evanston
Leave By
9:02 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Evanston and Sunny near Galesburg.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 205.1 miles (330.1 km) and usually takes 03h 59m 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?

Nachusa is a useful midpoint, sitting about 102.5 miles from Evanston and 102.7 miles from Galesburg.

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

The direct path is about 158 miles (254.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 47.1 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:02 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $27.30 one way or $54.60 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 64.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Evanston and Sunny near Galesburg.

Stop Ideas Near Nachusa

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

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

RAIL

Mendota station

39 mi away
783 Main Street
RAIL

Princeton

50 mi away
107 Bicentennial Dr.
BUS

Rockford, Illinois

59 mi away
7559 Walton St.
RAIL

Plano

73 mi away
101 West Main Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and Galesburg. Straight-line distance: 157.98 mi (254.24 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

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

#2 Galesburg

County seat of Knox County, Illinois, United States

Population29,803
Coordinates40.9478200, -90.3712400
Altitude235
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: Galesburg (-90.37124, 40.94782)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 330 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 50m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 07m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 06m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 55m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 33m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.24 gal
27.4 L · about $27.30
Round trip
$54.60
14.48 gal · 54.8 L
Estimated CO2
64.3 kg one way
Round trip: 128.7 kg / 284 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $27.30 $54.60
Mid-grade $4.25 $30.79 $61.58
Premium $4.65 $33.69 $67.39
Diesel $5.30 $38.40 $76.80

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 · May 14, 2026

There is no time difference between Evanston and Galesburg. The current time is 05:53:54.

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.