How far is Evanston, IL from Knox, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to Knox, IL is about 210.8 miles (339.3 km), with a travel time of about 04h 09m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 153.2 miles (246.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 19m 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
210.84 mi
04h 09m
Flight
153.19 mi
246.54 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
153.19 mi
Kilometers
246.54 km
Flight Time
00h 18m

Driving Distance

Road route
210.84 mi
Kilometers
339.31 km
Drive Time
04h 09m

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 04h 09m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Knox
Thu, Apr 23, 7:10 AM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Thu, Apr 23, 11:20 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-04-23T03:00
Arrive Knox
Thu, Apr 23, 7:10 AM CDT
Route Timing
04h 09m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:10 AM to 12:10 PM CDT

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

Leave by
8:40 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
105.3 mi
02h 04m
To Knox
105.6 mi
02h 04m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph S
Destination
80°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 22 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    39.4 mi · 42 min · Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward US 150, IL 97: Lewistown

    1112 ft · 27 sec

  28. 28

    Keep slight left to continue on US 150 East: Brimfield

    32 m · 3 sec

  29. 29

    Turn straight onto US 150 / IL 97

    1302 ft · 20 sec · US 150 / IL 97

  30. 30

    Continue on Knox Road 1020 East

    1.4 mi · 5 min · Knox Road 1020 East

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Mine Road

    2682 ft · 2 min · Mine Road

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Knox Station Road

    45 m · 7 sec · Knox Station Road

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Knox Station Road

Car Route Details

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

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
33 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
15.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
95.3 mi · 45%
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
44.8 mi · 21%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
38.9 mi · 18%
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
04h 09m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+57.6 mi
153.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Nachusa
02h 04m from Evanston
Leave By
8:40 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Evanston and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Knox.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 210.8 miles (339.3 km) and usually takes 04h 09m 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 105.3 miles from Evanston and 105.6 miles from Knox.

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

The direct path is about 153.2 miles (246.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 57.6 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 8:40 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $28.06 one way or $56.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 66.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Evanston and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Knox.

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 Knox. Straight-line distance: 153.19 mi (246.54 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

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

#2 Knox

County seat of Knox County, Tennessee, United States; third-largest city in Tennessee

Population2,692
Coordinates40.9342000, -90.2548500
Altitude201
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: Knox (-90.25485, 40.9342)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 339 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 01m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 12m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 00m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.44 gal
28.16 L · about $28.06
Round trip
$56.11
14.88 gal · 56.32 L
Estimated CO2
66.1 kg one way
Round trip: 132.2 kg / 291 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $28.06 $56.11
Mid-grade $4.25 $31.64 $63.28
Premium $4.65 $34.63 $69.25
Diesel $5.30 $39.46 $78.92

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Evanston and Knox. The current time is 03:00:26.

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.