How far is Evanston, IL from Mount Vernon, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to Mount Vernon, IL is about 290.3 miles (467.2 km), with a travel time of about 05h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 265.1 miles (426.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 11h 05m 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
290.3 mi
05h 32m
Flight
265.13 mi
426.69 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
265.13 mi
Kilometers
426.69 km
Flight Time
00h 32m

Driving Distance

Road route
290.3 mi
Kilometers
467.19 km
Drive Time
05h 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 05h 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Mount Vernon
Sat, Apr 18, 5:02 AM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Sat, Apr 18, 10:34 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-04-17T23:29
Arrive Mount Vernon
Sat, Apr 18, 5:02 AM CDT
Route Timing
05h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:33 AM to 1:33 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
5:54 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
Champaign
IL

The most populous city in Champaign County, Illinois.

From Evanston
145.3 mi
02h 46m
To Mount Vernon
145 mi
02h 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
86°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
2 to 13 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and Mount Vernon.

  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

    200.8 mi · 3 hr 41 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

    62.7 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 15: Ashley, Mt. Vernon

    1624 ft · 42 sec

  16. 16

    Turn straight onto Broadway Street

    2.8 mi · 5 min · Broadway Street

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Broadway Street

Car Route Details

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

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
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 57 South
264 mi · 91%
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
8.83 mi · 3%
North Western Avenue
5.53 mi · 2%
Kennedy Expressway
3.57 mi · 1%
Broadway Street
2.82 mi · 1%
Dan Ryan Expressway
2.42 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 57 South

Keep slight right to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

201 mi · 03h 41m

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
05h 32m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
11h 06m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+25.2 mi
265.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Champaign
02h 46m from Evanston
Leave By
5:54 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

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

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to Mount Vernon?

The road trip is about 290.3 miles (467.2 km) and usually takes 05h 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?

Champaign is a useful midpoint, sitting about 145.3 miles from Evanston and 145 miles from Mount Vernon.

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

The direct path is about 265.1 miles (426.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 25.2 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 5:54 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $38.62 one way or $77.23 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 91 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 Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Mount Vernon.

Stop Ideas Near Champaign

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

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

RAIL

Illinois Terminal

45 East University Ave.
RAIL

Rantoul

23 mi away
West Sangamon and North Kentucky Aves.
BUS

Danville, Illinois

52 mi away
379 Lynch Road
RAIL

Mattoon station

71 mi away
1718 Broadway Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and Mount Vernon. Straight-line distance: 265.13 mi (426.69 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Mount Vernon

#2 Mount Vernon

City located near the center of Jefferson County, Illinois, United States

Population14,511
Coordinates38.3172700, -88.9031200
Altitude156
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: Mount Vernon (-88.90312, 38.31727)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 467 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 40m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 15m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 48m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 50m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 08m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.24 gal
38.78 L · about $38.62
Round trip
$77.23
20.48 gal · 77.56 L
Estimated CO2
91 kg one way
Round trip: 182 kg / 401 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $38.62 $77.23
Mid-grade $4.25 $43.55 $87.10
Premium $4.65 $47.66 $95.31
Diesel $5.30 $54.31 $108.63

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Evanston and Mount Vernon. The current time is 23:29:17.

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.