How far is Gurnee, IL from Elk Grove, IL?

The driving distance from Gurnee, IL to Elk Grove, IL is about 34.5 miles (55.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 25.2 miles (40.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 13m 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
34.57 mi
00h 36m
Flight
25.16 mi
40.49 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Gurnee.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
25.16 mi
Kilometers
40.49 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
34.57 mi
Kilometers
55.64 km
Drive Time
00h 36m

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 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Elk Grove
Thu, Oct 15, 2:04 PM CDT
Return by in Gurnee
Thu, Oct 15, 2:40 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Gurnee
2026-10-15T13:27
Arrive Elk Grove
Thu, Oct 15, 2:04 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:37 AM to 7:37 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:16 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Gurnee
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
Riverwoods
IL

City in Illinois, United States of America

From Gurnee
16.8 mi
00h 18m
To Elk Grove
17.8 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
60°F
Today

Rain Showers

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 11:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph SE
Destination
62°F
Thursday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Gurnee and Elk Grove.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gurnee and Elk Grove.

  1. 1

    Start on North Greenleaf Street

    28 m · 8 sec · North Greenleaf Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Grand Avenue

    1509 ft · 25 sec · Grand Avenue

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right toward US 41 South: Chicago

    1644 ft · 45 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Skokie Highway

    1.5 km · 1 min · Skokie Highway

  5. 5

    Turn slight right onto IL 43 South, IL 120 West

    2872 ft · 51 sec

  6. 6

    Continue on Waukegan Road

    2.4 mi · 4 min · Waukegan Road

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Buckley Road

    1.1 km · 1 min · Buckley Road

  8. 8

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 94 Toll East: Chicago

    1998 ft · 52 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    11 mi · 13 min · Tri-State Tollway

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    11.7 mi · 14 min · Tri-State Tollway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right

    965 ft · 24 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on I 90 West: Rockford

    2122 ft · 40 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    929 ft · 12 sec · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    3 mi · 3 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward Elmhurst Road

    3136 ft · 43 sec

  16. 16

    Continue on Elmhurst Road

    157 m · 10 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Elmhurst Road

    93 m · 10 sec

  18. 18

    Turn left onto South Elmhurst Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · South Elmhurst Road

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Elmhurst Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Gurnee and Elk Grove.

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
19 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
54.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
22.9 mi · 66%
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
3.15 mi · 9%
Waukegan Road
2.44 mi · 7%
Skokie Highway
0.93 mi · 3%
South Elmhurst Road
0.8 mi · 2%
Elmhurst Road
0.75 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

11.7 mi · 00h 14m

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 36m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.3 mi
25.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Riverwoods
00h 18m from Gurnee
Leave By
7:16 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Rain Showers leaving Gurnee and Showers And Thunderstorms near Elk Grove.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Gurnee to Elk Grove?

The road trip is about 34.5 miles (55.6 km) and usually takes 00h 36m 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?

Riverwoods is a useful midpoint, sitting about 16.8 miles from Gurnee and 17.8 miles from Elk Grove.

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

The direct path is about 25.2 miles (40.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.3 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 7:16 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.69 one way or $11.38 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers around Gurnee and Showers And Thunderstorms near Elk Grove.

Stop Ideas Near Riverwoods

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

13 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

39 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

39 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

42 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Gurnee and Elk Grove. Straight-line distance: 25.16 mi (40.49 km).

Gurnee

#1 Gurnee

Village in Illinois

Population30,168
Coordinates42.3703000, -87.9020200
Altitude207
CountryUnited States
Elk Grove

#2 Elk Grove

Township in Cook County, Illinois

Population31,831
Coordinates42.0072500, -87.9403400
Altitude204
CountryUnited States
Start: North Greenleaf Street (-87.902187, 42.370297)
End: South Elmhurst Road (-87.940348, 42.00725)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 56 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 09m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 51m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 41m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 25m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.22 gal
4.62 L · about $5.69
Round trip
$11.38
2.44 gal · 9.24 L
Estimated CO2
10.8 kg one way
Round trip: 21.7 kg / 48 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.67 $5.69 $11.38
Mid-grade $5.29 $6.46 $12.91
Premium $5.84 $7.12 $14.24
Diesel $6.57 $8.02 $16.03

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 Gurnee and Elk Grove. The current time is 13:27:31.

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.