How far is Evanston, IL from Rolling Meadows, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to Rolling Meadows, IL is about 18.6 miles (29.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 35m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 16.8 miles (27.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 11m 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
18.61 mi
00h 35m
Flight
16.84 mi
27.1 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Evanston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
16.84 mi
Kilometers
27.1 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.61 mi
Kilometers
29.95 km
Drive Time
00h 35m

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 35m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Rolling Meadows
Sun, Apr 19, 8:42 AM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Sun, Apr 19, 9:17 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-04-19T08:06
Arrive Rolling Meadows
Sun, Apr 19, 8:42 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 35m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:18 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
Des Plaines
IL

The most populous city in Cook County, Illinois.

From Evanston
9.3 mi
00h 17m
To Rolling Meadows
9.3 mi
00h 17m

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
51°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 Rolling Meadows.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and Rolling Meadows.

  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

    1.2 km · 2 min · Asbury Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Emerson Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · Emerson Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Golf Road

    10.4 mi · 19 min · Golf Road

  7. 7

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward State Street

    37 m · 2 sec · State Street

  8. 8

    Exit the roundabout onto State Street

    1148 ft · 34 sec · State Street

  9. 9

    Turn slight right onto East Northwest Highway

    1.7 mi · 3 min · East Northwest Highway

  10. 10

    Turn slight left onto West Central Road

    2 mi · 4 min · West Central Road

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on West Kirchhoff Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · West Kirchhoff Road

  12. 12

    Turn slight right onto New Wilke Road

    159 m · 10 sec · New Wilke Road

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on South Wilke Road

    2760 ft · 1 min · South Wilke Road

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Campbell Street

    2610 ft · 2 min · Campbell Street

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Bluebird Lane

    77 m · 11 sec · Bluebird Lane

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Bluebird Lane

Car Route Details

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

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
16 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
0 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
86 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Golf Road
10.4 mi · 56%
West Central Road
2.03 mi · 11%
East Northwest Highway
1.7 mi · 9%
West Kirchhoff Road
1.22 mi · 7%
Emerson Street
0.99 mi · 5%
Asbury Avenue
0.76 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Golf Road

Continue on Golf Road

10.4 mi · 00h 19m

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 35m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.8 mi
16.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Des Plaines
00h 17m from Evanston
Leave By
7:18 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Evanston and Mostly Sunny near Rolling Meadows.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to Rolling Meadows?

The road trip is about 18.6 miles (29.9 km) and usually takes 00h 35m 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?

Des Plaines is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.3 miles from Evanston and 9.3 miles from Rolling Meadows.

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

The direct path is about 16.8 miles (27.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.8 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 7:18 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.49 one way or $4.98 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Evanston and Mostly Sunny near Rolling Meadows.

Stop Ideas Near Des Plaines

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

8 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

La Grange Road

24 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

27 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

27 mi away
225 South Canal Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and Rolling Meadows. Straight-line distance: 16.84 mi (27.1 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Rolling Meadows

#2 Rolling Meadows

City in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Population23,246
Coordinates42.0841900, -88.0131300
Altitude219
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: Rolling Meadows (-88.01313, 42.08419)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
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
0.66 gal
2.49 L · about $2.49
Round trip
$4.98
1.32 gal · 4.98 L
Estimated CO2
5.9 kg one way
Round trip: 11.7 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.49 $4.98
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.81 $5.61
Premium $4.65 $3.07 $6.14
Diesel $5.30 $3.50 $7.00

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 Rolling Meadows. The current time is 08:06:30.

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.