How far is Evanston, IL from North Chicago, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to North Chicago, IL is about 25.9 miles (41.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 37m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 21.1 miles (34 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 15m 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
25.94 mi
00h 37m
Flight
21.12 mi
33.99 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Evanston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
21.12 mi
Kilometers
33.99 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
25.94 mi
Kilometers
41.74 km
Drive Time
00h 37m

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 37m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in North Chicago
Sun, Apr 19, 9:21 AM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Sun, Apr 19, 9:59 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-04-19T08:43
Arrive North Chicago
Sun, Apr 19, 9:21 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 37m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:38 AM to 7:38 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:14 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
Highland Park
IL

City in Lake County, Illinois, United States

From Evanston
13 mi
00h 18m
To North Chicago
13 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
50°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 North Chicago.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and North Chicago.

  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 · 11 sec · Dempster Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Asbury Avenue

    1.4 km · 2 min · Asbury Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Green Bay Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Green Bay Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Central Street

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Central Street

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Crawford Avenue

    3078 ft · 1 min · Crawford Avenue

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Wilmette Avenue

    27 m · 2 sec · Wilmette Avenue

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Glenview Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Glenview Road

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Skokie Boulevard

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Skokie Boulevard

  11. 11

    Take the ramp straight toward I 94 West

    1251 ft · 31 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Edens Expressway

    4 mi · 5 min · Edens Expressway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Skokie Highway

    3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on Skokie Valley Road

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Skokie Valley Road

  15. 15

    Continue on South Skokie Highway

    5.6 mi · 7 min · South Skokie Highway

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Buckley Road

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Buckley Road

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Bobby E. Thompson Expressway

    1.4 km · 60 sec · Bobby E. Thompson Expressway

  18. 18

    Continue on Sheridan Road

    2526 ft · 39 sec · Sheridan Road

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Broadway

    654 ft · 24 sec · Broadway

  20. 20

    Turn right onto Park Avenue

    63 m · 10 sec · Park Avenue

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Fellows Place

    14 m · 2 sec · Fellows Place

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Fellows Place

Car Route Details

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

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
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
84.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South Skokie Highway
5.56 mi · 21%
Edens Expressway
3.97 mi · 15%
Skokie Highway
3.84 mi · 15%
Skokie Valley Road
3.38 mi · 13%
Buckley Road
1.55 mi · 6%
Central Street
1.47 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

South Skokie Highway

Continue on South Skokie Highway

5.56 mi · 00h 07m

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 37m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.8 mi
21.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Highland Park
00h 18m from Evanston
Leave By
7:14 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Evanston and Mostly Sunny near North Chicago.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to North Chicago?

The road trip is about 25.9 miles (41.7 km) and usually takes 00h 37m 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?

Highland Park is a useful midpoint, sitting about 13 miles from Evanston and 13 miles from North Chicago.

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

The direct path is about 21.1 miles (34 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.8 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 7:14 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.43 one way or $6.86 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Evanston and Mostly Sunny near North Chicago.

Stop Ideas Near Highland Park

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

12 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

36 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

41 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

43 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and North Chicago. Straight-line distance: 21.12 mi (33.99 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
North Chicago

#2 North Chicago

City and suburb of Chicago, Illinois, USA

Population29,639
Coordinates42.3255800, -87.8411800
Altitude201
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: North Chicago (-87.84118, 42.32558)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 42 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 31m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 22m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.91 gal
3.46 L · about $3.43
Round trip
$6.86
1.82 gal · 6.92 L
Estimated CO2
8.1 kg one way
Round trip: 16.2 kg / 36 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.43 $6.86
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.87 $7.74
Premium $4.65 $4.24 $8.47
Diesel $5.30 $4.83 $9.65

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 North Chicago. The current time is 08:43:28.

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.