How far is Evanston, IL from South Pekin, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to South Pekin, IL is about 187.7 miles (302 km), with a travel time of about 03h 48m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 147.6 miles (237.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 37m 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
187.66 mi
03h 48m
Flight
147.64 mi
237.6 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
147.64 mi
Kilometers
237.6 km
Flight Time
00h 17m

Driving Distance

Road route
187.66 mi
Kilometers
302.01 km
Drive Time
03h 48m

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 03h 48m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in South Pekin
Thu, Jun 11, 3:23 AM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Thu, Jun 11, 7:12 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-06-10T23:34
Arrive South Pekin
Thu, Jun 11, 3:23 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 48m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:49 AM to 11:49 AM CDT

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

Leave by
9:22 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
Odell
IL

Township in Livingston County, Illinois

From Evanston
93.8 mi
01h 54m
To South Pekin
93.9 mi
01h 54m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
69°F
Tonight

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Wed, Jun 10 9:00 PM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph SSW
Destination
90°F
Today

Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Jun 10 7:00 AM CDT
Wind
9 to 17 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and South Pekin.

  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

    11.5 mi · 15 min · Tri-State Tollway

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    4.8 mi · 6 min · Tri-State Tollway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis

    1 km · 1 min

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis

    2295 ft · 56 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway

    113 mi · 2 hr 7 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward I 74 West: Peoria

    2888 ft · 49 sec

  21. 21

    Continue straight

    27.4 mi · 29 min

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on I 474 West: Moline, Rock Island

    5.1 mi · 5 min

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 29: Pekin, East Peoria

    1906 ft · 52 sec

  24. 24

    Turn left onto South Main Street

    766 ft · 13 sec · South Main Street

  25. 25

    Continue on Radio City Drive

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Radio City Drive

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on Radio City Drive

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Radio City Drive

  27. 27

    Continue on North 8th Street

    3002 ft · 51 sec · North 8th Street

  28. 28

    Continue on North 5th Street

    2109 ft · 36 sec · North 5th Street

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Ann Eliza Street

    1767 ft · 30 sec · Ann Eliza Street

  30. 30

    Turn left onto North 2nd Street

    5.6 mi · 10 min · North 2nd Street

  31. 31

    Turn left onto West Main Street

    1 km · 2 min · West Main Street

  32. 32

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Main Street

Car Route Details

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

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
32 steps
15 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
17 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
113 mi · 60%
I 74 West
28 mi · 15%
Tri-State Tollway
17.5 mi · 9%
North 2nd Street
5.61 mi · 3%
I 474 West
5.05 mi · 3%
West Touhy Avenue
4.03 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway

113 mi · 02h 07m

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
03h 48m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+40.1 mi
147.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Odell
01h 54m from Evanston
Leave By
9:22 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Evanston and Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near South Pekin.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to South Pekin?

The road trip is about 187.7 miles (302 km) and usually takes 03h 48m 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?

Odell is a useful midpoint, sitting about 93.8 miles from Evanston and 93.9 miles from South Pekin.

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

The direct path is about 147.6 miles (237.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 40.1 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:22 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $24.96 one way or $49.93 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 58.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Evanston and Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near South Pekin.

Stop Ideas Near Odell

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

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

RAIL

Dwight station

13 mi away
119 West Main St.
RAIL

Pontiac station

17 mi away
721 West Washington St.
RAIL

Gilman

52 mi away
US Hwy 24 & West Wenona St.
RAIL

Kankakee

57 mi away
199 South East Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and South Pekin. Straight-line distance: 147.64 mi (237.6 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
South Pekin

#2 South Pekin

Village in Illinois, USA

Population1,081
Coordinates40.4944800, -89.6517700
Altitude157
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: South Pekin (-89.65177, 40.49448)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 302 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 15m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 45m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 07m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 40m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.62 gal
25.07 L · about $24.96
Round trip
$49.93
13.24 gal · 50.14 L
Estimated CO2
58.8 kg one way
Round trip: 117.7 kg / 259 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $24.96 $49.93
Mid-grade $4.25 $28.15 $56.31
Premium $4.65 $30.81 $61.62
Diesel $5.30 $35.11 $70.22

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 · Jun 11, 2026

There is no time difference between Evanston and South Pekin. The current time is 23:34:31.

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.