How far is Joliet, IL from Downers Grove, IL?

The driving distance from Joliet, IL to Downers Grove, IL is about 23.7 miles (38.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 41m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 19.9 miles (32.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 22m 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
23.76 mi
00h 41m
Flight
19.95 mi
32.11 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Joliet.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
19.95 mi
Kilometers
32.11 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
23.76 mi
Kilometers
38.24 km
Drive Time
00h 41m

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 41m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Downers Grove
Sun, Apr 19, 3:53 AM CDT
Return by in Joliet
Sun, Apr 19, 4:34 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Joliet
2026-04-19T03:12
Arrive Downers Grove
Sun, Apr 19, 3:53 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 41m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:41 AM to 7:41 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:08 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Joliet
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

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
Lemont
IL

Historic village in the U.

From Joliet
11.9 mi
00h 20m
To Downers Grove
11.9 mi
00h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
53°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph WNW
Destination
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Joliet and Downers Grove.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Joliet and Downers Grove.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    34 m · 10 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Ottawa Street

    53 m · 12 sec · Ottawa Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East Jefferson Street

    795 ft · 27 sec · East Jefferson Street

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on East Jefferson Street

    1967 ft · 1 min · East Jefferson Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Collins Street

    2 mi · 5 min · Collins Street

  6. 6

    Continue on South State Street

    4.3 mi · 10 min · South State Street

  7. 7

    Continue on South Archer Avenue

    2.4 mi · 4 min · South Archer Avenue

  8. 8

    Turn left onto I 355 North: West Suburbs

    2672 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Tollway

    11.4 mi · 13 min · Veterans Memorial Tollway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 34: Ogden Avenue

    1604 ft · 39 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on East Ogden Avenue

    2.2 mi · 5 min · East Ogden Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left

    27 m · 8 sec

  13. 13

    Turn right

    101 m · 26 sec

  14. 14

    Turn uturn onto Main Street

    59 m · 13 sec · Main Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Joliet and Downers 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
15 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
63 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Veterans Memorial Tollway
11.4 mi · 48%
South State Street
4.28 mi · 18%
South Archer Avenue
2.44 mi · 10%
East Ogden Avenue
2.22 mi · 9%
Collins Street
1.95 mi · 8%
East Jefferson Street
0.52 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Veterans Memorial Tollway

Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Tollway

11.4 mi · 00h 13m

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 41m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.8 mi
19.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lemont
00h 20m from Joliet
Leave By
7:08 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Joliet and Mostly Sunny near Downers Grove.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Joliet to Downers Grove?

The road trip is about 23.7 miles (38.2 km) and usually takes 00h 41m 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?

Lemont is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.9 miles from Joliet and 11.9 miles from Downers Grove.

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

The direct path is about 19.9 miles (32.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.8 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 7:08 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.17 one way or $6.34 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Joliet and Mostly Sunny near Downers Grove.

Stop Ideas Near Lemont

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

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

RAIL

Naperville

17 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

Joliet Transportation Center

18 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

19 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

20 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Joliet and Downers Grove. Straight-line distance: 19.95 mi (32.11 km).

Joliet

#1 Joliet

The second most populous city in Will County, Illinois.

Population85,583
Coordinates41.5251900, -88.0834000
Altitude165
CountryUnited States
Downers Grove

#2 Downers Grove

Village in Downers Grove, Lisle, and York Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, US

Population48,727
Coordinates41.8089200, -88.0111700
Altitude226
CountryUnited States
Start: Joliet (-88.0834, 41.52519)
End: Downers Grove (-88.01117, 41.80892)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 38 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 47m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 35m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 23m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.84 gal
3.17 L · about $3.17
Round trip
$6.34
1.68 gal · 6.34 L
Estimated CO2
7.5 kg one way
Round trip: 14.9 kg / 33 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.17 $6.34
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.57 $7.15
Premium $4.65 $3.91 $7.82
Diesel $5.30 $4.46 $8.91

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 Joliet and Downers Grove. The current time is 03:12:36.

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.