How far is Evanston, IL from Washington, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to Washington, IL is about 156.5 miles (251.9 km), with a travel time of about 03h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 128.3 miles (206.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 50m 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
156.55 mi
03h 25m
Flight
128.32 mi
206.51 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
128.32 mi
Kilometers
206.51 km
Flight Time
00h 15m

Driving Distance

Road route
156.55 mi
Kilometers
251.95 km
Drive Time
03h 25m

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 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Washington
Thu, Apr 23, 6:03 AM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Thu, Apr 23, 9:28 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-04-23T02:38
Arrive Washington
Thu, Apr 23, 6:03 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:25 AM to 11:25 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
10:10 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
Gardner
IL

Village in Illinois, United States

From Evanston
78.2 mi
01h 42m
To Washington
78.4 mi
01h 42m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph S
Destination
80°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 22 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and Washington.

  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

    90.1 mi · 1 hr 42 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward US 24: Chenoa, El Paso

    2279 ft · 58 sec

  21. 21

    At the end of the road, turn left onto East 3100 North Road

    6.7 mi · 9 min · East 3100 North Road

  22. 22

    Continue on East Gridley Road

    9.2 mi · 14 min · East Gridley Road

  23. 23

    Continue on County Road 1000 North

    11.8 mi · 17 min · County Road 1000 North

  24. 24

    Continue on East Center Street

    2 mi · 3 min · East Center Street

  25. 25

    Continue on US Highway 24

    1762 ft · 34 sec · US Highway 24

  26. 26

    Turn left onto County Road 1200 East

    1.5 km · 2 min · County Road 1200 East

  27. 27

    Continue on County Road 800 North

    1.6 km · 2 min · County Road 800 North

  28. 28

    Continue on Eureka Road

    3 mi · 5 min · Eureka Road

  29. 29

    Continue on Walnut Street

    1 mi · 2 min · Walnut Street

  30. 30

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Peoria Street

    91 m · 16 sec · Peoria Street

  31. 31

    Exit the roundabout onto Peoria Street

    47 m · 7 sec · Peoria Street

  32. 32

    Turn right

    28 m · 7 sec

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
33 steps
16 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
21.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
90.1 mi · 58%
Tri-State Tollway
17.5 mi · 11%
County Road 1000 North
11.8 mi · 8%
East Gridley Road
9.23 mi · 6%
East 3100 North Road
6.7 mi · 4%
West Touhy Avenue
4.03 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway

90.1 mi · 01h 42m

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 25m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+28.2 mi
128.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Gardner
01h 42m from Evanston
Leave By
10:10 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Evanston and Mostly Sunny near Washington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to Washington?

The road trip is about 156.5 miles (251.9 km) and usually takes 03h 25m 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?

Gardner is a useful midpoint, sitting about 78.2 miles from Evanston and 78.4 miles from Washington.

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

The direct path is about 128.3 miles (206.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 28.2 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 10:10 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $20.82 one way or $41.63 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 49.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Gardner

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

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

RAIL

Dwight station

14 mi away
119 West Main St.
RAIL

Kankakee

38 mi away
199 South East Ave.
RAIL

Joliet Transportation Center

42 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street
RAIL

Pontiac station

44 mi away
721 West Washington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and Washington. Straight-line distance: 128.32 mi (206.51 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Washington

#2 Washington

City in Tazewell County, Illinois

Population16,395
Coordinates40.7036500, -89.4073100
Altitude232
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: Washington (-89.40731, 40.70365)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 252 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 12m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 54m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 07m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 36m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 57m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.52 gal
20.91 L · about $20.82
Round trip
$41.63
11.04 gal · 41.82 L
Estimated CO2
49.1 kg one way
Round trip: 98.1 kg / 216 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $20.82 $41.63
Mid-grade $4.25 $23.48 $46.95
Premium $4.65 $25.69 $51.38
Diesel $5.30 $29.28 $58.56

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Evanston and Washington. The current time is 02:38:06.

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.