How far is Melrose Park, IL from Evanston, IL?

The driving distance from Melrose Park, IL to Evanston, IL is about 23.8 miles (38.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 42m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 12.9 miles (20.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 24m 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
23.81 mi
00h 42m
Flight
12.95 mi
20.84 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Melrose Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
12.95 mi
Kilometers
20.84 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
23.81 mi
Kilometers
38.32 km
Drive Time
00h 42m

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 42m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Evanston
Sun, Apr 19, 10:22 AM CDT
Return by in Melrose Park
Sun, Apr 19, 11:04 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Melrose Park
2026-04-19T09:39
Arrive Evanston
Sun, Apr 19, 10:22 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 42m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:42 AM to 7:42 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:06 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Melrose Park
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
Harwood Heights
IL

Village in United States of America

From Melrose Park
9.1 mi
00h 21m
To Evanston
14.7 mi
00h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph WNW
Destination
51°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 Melrose Park and Evanston.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Melrose Park and Evanston.

  1. 1

    Start on Division Street

    2062 ft · 2 min · Division Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North 25th Avenue

    2.5 mi · 5 min · North 25th Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto West Belmont Avenue

    1.1 mi · 2 min · West Belmont Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto West Forest Preserve Drive

    3.1 mi · 6 min · West Forest Preserve Drive

  5. 5

    Turn slight right onto West Montrose Avenue

    2.4 mi · 5 min · West Montrose Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn left onto North Cicero Avenue

    1422 ft · 30 sec · North Cicero Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn right onto West Wilson Avenue

    137 m · 23 sec · West Wilson Avenue

  8. 8

    Take the ramp left toward I 94 West

    1088 ft · 29 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Edens Expressway

    2.8 mi · 3 min · Edens Expressway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Touhy Avenue East

    1547 ft · 41 sec

  11. 11

    At the end of the road, turn left onto North Cicero Avenue

    1933 ft · 43 sec · North Cicero Avenue

  12. 12

    Continue on Skokie Boulevard

    1324 ft · 28 sec · Skokie Boulevard

  13. 13

    Turn right onto West Howard Street

    3 mi · 6 min · West Howard Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Asbury Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Asbury Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Dempster Street

    65 m · 9 sec · Dempster Street

  16. 16

    Turn uturn

    65 m · 18 sec

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
17 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
71.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
West Forest Preserve Drive
3.05 mi · 13%
West Howard Street
2.96 mi · 12%
Edens Expressway
2.77 mi · 12%
North 25th Avenue
2.52 mi · 11%
West Montrose Avenue
2.41 mi · 10%
Asbury Avenue
1.51 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

West Forest Preserve Drive

Turn left onto West Forest Preserve Drive

3.05 mi · 00h 06m

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 42m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.9 mi
12.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Harwood Heights
00h 21m from Melrose Park
Leave By
7:06 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Melrose Park and Mostly Sunny near Evanston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Melrose Park to Evanston?

The road trip is about 23.8 miles (38.3 km) and usually takes 00h 42m 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?

Harwood Heights is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.1 miles from Melrose Park and 14.7 miles from Evanston.

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

The direct path is about 12.9 miles (20.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.9 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 7:06 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 Melrose Park and Mostly Sunny near Evanston.

Stop Ideas Near Harwood Heights

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

12 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

17 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

18 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

19 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Melrose Park and Evanston. Straight-line distance: 12.95 mi (20.84 km).

Melrose Park

#1 Melrose Park

Village in Cook County, Illenois, United States of America

Population24,406
Coordinates41.9005900, -87.8567300
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Evanston

#2 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Start: Division Street (-87.856728, 41.900537)
End: (-87.689971, 42.041051)

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
3.18 L · about $3.17
Round trip
$6.34
1.68 gal · 6.36 L
Estimated CO2
7.5 kg one way
Round trip: 14.9 kg / 33 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/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 Melrose Park and Evanston. The current time is 09:39:46.

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.