How far is Joliet, IL from Kankakee, IL?

The driving distance from Joliet, IL to Kankakee, IL is about 35.7 miles (57.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 55m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 30.3 miles (48.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 51m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
35.72 mi
00h 55m
Flight
30.27 mi
48.72 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Joliet.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
30.27 mi
Kilometers
48.72 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
35.72 mi
Kilometers
57.49 km
Drive Time
00h 55m

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 55m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kankakee
Tue, May 12, 7:23 PM CDT
Return by in Joliet
Tue, May 12, 8:19 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Joliet
2026-05-12T18:27
Arrive Kankakee
Tue, May 12, 7:23 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 55m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:56 AM to 10:56 AM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:38 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Joliet
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Wilton
IL

City in Illinois, United States of America

From Joliet
17.9 mi
00h 27m
To Kankakee
17.8 mi
00h 27m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Tuesday

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 25 mph S
Destination
79°F
Today

Partly Sunny then Patchy Blowing Dust

Starts
Tue, May 12 7:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Joliet and Kankakee.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    34 m · 10 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Ottawa Street

    1397 ft · 44 sec · Ottawa Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Ottawa Street

    758 ft · 22 sec · Ottawa Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Chicago Street

    1 mi · 3 min · Chicago Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Doris Avenue

    686 ft · 15 sec · Doris Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Gardner Street

    1482 ft · 36 sec · Gardner Street

  7. 7

    Continue on Manhattan Road

    2.2 mi · 4 min · Manhattan Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Manhattan Road

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Manhattan Road

  9. 9

    Continue on West North Street

    2.3 mi · 4 min · West North Street

  10. 10

    Continue on South State Street

    1.9 mi · 3 min · South State Street

  11. 11

    Continue on US Route 52

    1.2 mi · 2 min · US Route 52

  12. 12

    Continue on South Cedar Road

    3.1 mi · 5 min · South Cedar Road

  13. 13

    Continue on West Arsenal Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · West Arsenal Road

  14. 14

    Continue on West Joliet Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · West Joliet Road

  15. 15

    Turn right onto South La Grange Road

    13.5 mi · 19 min · South La Grange Road

  16. 16

    Continue on East Marsile Street

    1263 ft · 23 sec · East Marsile Street

  17. 17

    Continue on South Main Street

    2834 ft · 54 sec · South Main Street

  18. 18

    Continue on North Kennedy Drive

    1.9 mi · 3 min · North Kennedy Drive

  19. 19

    At the end of the road, turn left onto West Court Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · West Court Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Court Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Joliet and Kankakee.

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
20 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
56 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South La Grange Road
13.5 mi · 38%
Manhattan Road
5.28 mi · 15%
South Cedar Road
3.06 mi · 9%
West North Street
2.25 mi · 6%
South State Street
1.92 mi · 5%
North Kennedy Drive
1.9 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

South La Grange Road

Turn right onto South La Grange Road

13.5 mi · 00h 19m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 55m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.4 mi
30.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Wilton
00h 27m from Joliet
Leave By
4:38 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Joliet and Partly Sunny then Patchy Blowing Dust near Kankakee.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Joliet to Kankakee?

The road trip is about 35.7 miles (57.5 km) and usually takes 00h 55m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Wilton is a useful midpoint, sitting about 17.9 miles from Joliet and 17.8 miles from Kankakee.

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

The direct path is about 30.3 miles (48.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.4 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:38 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.75 one way or $9.50 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Joliet and Partly Sunny then Patchy Blowing Dust near Kankakee.

Stop Ideas Near Wilton

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

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

RAIL

Joliet Transportation Center

20 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street
RAIL

Kankakee

30 mi away
199 South East Ave.
RAIL

Homewood

30 mi away
18015 Park Ave.
RAIL

Dyer station

37 mi away
913 Sheffield Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Joliet and Kankakee. Straight-line distance: 30.27 mi (48.72 km).

Joliet

#1 Joliet

The second most populous city in Will County, Illinois.

Population85,583
Coordinates41.5251900, -88.0834000
Altitude165
CountryUnited States
Kankakee

#2 Kankakee

City in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States

Population25,668
Coordinates41.1200300, -87.8611500
Altitude200
CountryUnited States
Start: Joliet (-88.0834, 41.52519)
End: Kankakee (-87.86115, 41.12003)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 57 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 11m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 53m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 35m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.26 gal
4.77 L · about $4.75
Round trip
$9.50
2.52 gal · 9.54 L
Estimated CO2
11.2 kg one way
Round trip: 22.4 kg / 49 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $4.75 $9.50
Mid-grade $4.25 $5.36 $10.72
Premium $4.65 $5.86 $11.73
Diesel $5.30 $6.68 $13.37

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 · May 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Joliet and Kankakee. The current time is 18:27:55.

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.