How far is Evanston, IL from Melrose Park, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to Melrose Park, IL is about 18 miles (28.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 12.9 miles (20.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 13m 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
17.98 mi
00h 36m
Flight
12.95 mi
20.84 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Evanston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
12.95 mi
Kilometers
20.84 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
17.98 mi
Kilometers
28.94 km
Drive Time
00h 36m

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 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Melrose Park
Sun, Apr 19, 11:36 AM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Sun, Apr 19, 12:12 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-04-19T10:59
Arrive Melrose Park
Sun, Apr 19, 11:36 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:37 AM to 7:37 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:16 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Evanston
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
Lincolnwood
IL

Village in United States of America

From Evanston
9 mi
00h 18m
To Melrose Park
9 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
51°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WNW
Destination
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and Melrose Park.

  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

    Turn right onto West Howard Street

    3 mi · 6 min · West Howard Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Skokie Boulevard

    1324 ft · 24 sec · Skokie Boulevard

  7. 7

    Continue on North Cicero Avenue

    1307 ft · 32 sec · North Cicero Avenue

  8. 8

    Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue

    1073 ft · 24 sec · West Touhy Avenue

  9. 9

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 94 East: Chicago

    845 ft · 23 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Edens Expressway

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Edens Expressway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Wilson Avenue

    1251 ft · 35 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right onto West Wilson Avenue

    28 m · 11 sec · West Wilson Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left onto North Cicero Avenue

    1411 ft · 28 sec · North Cicero Avenue

  14. 14

    Turn right onto West Montrose Avenue

    2.4 mi · 5 min · West Montrose Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn slight left onto West Forest Preserve Drive

    2.6 mi · 6 min · West Forest Preserve Drive

  16. 16

    Turn left onto North Cumberland Avenue

    1031 ft · 27 sec · North Cumberland Avenue

  17. 17

    Continue on North Thatcher Avenue

    1.3 km · 2 min · North Thatcher Avenue

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto North 1st Avenue

    1.2 mi · 3 min · North 1st Avenue

  19. 19

    Turn right onto North Avenue

    2696 ft · 1 min · North Avenue

  20. 20

    Turn left onto 9th Avenue

    2733 ft · 1 min · 9th Avenue

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Division Street

    1 km · 2 min · Division Street

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Division Street

Car Route Details

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

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
22 steps
15 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
122.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Edens Expressway
3.2 mi · 18%
West Howard Street
2.96 mi · 16%
West Forest Preserve Drive
2.57 mi · 14%
West Montrose Avenue
2.39 mi · 13%
Asbury Avenue
1.51 mi · 8%
North 1st Avenue
1.2 mi · 7%
Longest Stretch

Edens Expressway

Merge slight left onto Edens Expressway

3.2 mi · 00h 04m

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 36m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.1 mi
12.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lincolnwood
00h 18m from Evanston
Leave By
7:16 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Evanston and Mostly Sunny near Melrose Park.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to Melrose Park?

The road trip is about 18 miles (28.9 km) and usually takes 00h 36m 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?

Lincolnwood is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9 miles from Evanston and 9 miles from Melrose Park.

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

The direct path is about 12.9 miles (20.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.1 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:16 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.38 one way or $4.75 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Evanston and Mostly Sunny near Melrose Park.

Stop Ideas Near Lincolnwood

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

10 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

16 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

24 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

25 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and Melrose Park. Straight-line distance: 12.95 mi (20.84 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Melrose Park

#2 Melrose Park

Village in Cook County, Illenois, United States of America

Population24,406
Coordinates41.9005900, -87.8567300
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: Melrose Park (-87.85673, 41.90059)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 29 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 35m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 26m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 17m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.63 gal
2.4 L · about $2.38
Round trip
$4.75
1.26 gal · 4.8 L
Estimated CO2
5.6 kg one way
Round trip: 11.2 kg / 25 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.38 $4.75
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.68 $5.36
Premium $4.65 $2.93 $5.86
Diesel $5.30 $3.34 $6.68

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 Evanston and Melrose Park. The current time is 10:59:38.

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.