How far is Evanston, IL from West Frankfort, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to West Frankfort, IL is about 318.5 miles (512.5 km), with a travel time of about 06h 01m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 293.7 miles (472.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 02m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
318.46 mi
06h 01m
Flight
293.72 mi
472.69 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
293.72 mi
Kilometers
472.69 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
318.46 mi
Kilometers
512.51 km
Drive Time
06h 01m

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 06h 01m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in West Frankfort
Thu, Oct 15, 6:30 PM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Fri, Oct 16, 12:31 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-10-15T12:29
Arrive West Frankfort
Thu, Oct 15, 6:30 PM CDT
Route Timing
06h 01m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:01 PM to 1:31 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:58 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Evanston
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

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
Pesotum
IL

Township in Champaign County, Illinois

From Evanston
159.4 mi
03h 00m
To West Frankfort
159.1 mi
03h 00m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
60°F
Thursday

Rain

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph ESE
Destination
88°F
Today

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 10:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 14 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and West Frankfort.

  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

    65.7 mi · 1 hr 11 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on Ken Gray Expressway

    27.1 mi · 29 min · Ken Gray Expressway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 149: West Frankfort, Zeigler

    1422 ft · 35 sec

  17. 17

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward West Main Street

    1001 ft · 17 sec · West Main Street

  18. 18

    Exit the roundabout onto West Main Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · West Main Street

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Main Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
19 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 57 South
267 mi · 84%
Ken Gray Expressway
27.1 mi · 8%
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
8.83 mi · 3%
North Western Avenue
5.53 mi · 2%
Kennedy Expressway
3.57 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

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 01m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+24.8 mi
293.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Pesotum
03h 00m from Evanston
Leave By
11:58 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Rain leaving Evanston and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near West Frankfort.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to West Frankfort?

The road trip is about 318.5 miles (512.5 km) and usually takes 06h 01m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Pesotum is a useful midpoint, sitting about 159.4 miles from Evanston and 159.1 miles from West Frankfort.

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

The direct path is about 293.7 miles (472.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 24.8 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $52.43 one way or $104.87 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 99.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain around Evanston and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near West Frankfort.

Stop Ideas Near Pesotum

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

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

RAIL

Illinois Terminal

23 mi away
45 East University Ave.
RAIL

Rantoul

45 mi away
West Sangamon and North Kentucky Aves.
RAIL

Mattoon station

49 mi away
1718 Broadway Ave.
BUS

Danville, Illinois

59 mi away
379 Lynch Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and West Frankfort. Straight-line distance: 293.72 mi (472.69 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
West Frankfort

#2 West Frankfort

City in Illinois, USA

Population7,733
Coordinates37.8978300, -88.9314600
Altitude122
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: West Frankfort (-88.93146, 37.89783)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 513 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 57m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 32m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 58m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.24 gal
42.54 L · about $52.43
Round trip
$104.87
22.48 gal · 85.08 L
Estimated CO2
99.9 kg one way
Round trip: 199.8 kg / 440 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.67 $52.43 $104.87
Mid-grade $5.29 $59.48 $118.96
Premium $5.84 $65.61 $131.22
Diesel $6.57 $73.86 $147.72

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 · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Evanston and West Frankfort. The current time is 12:29:35.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.