How far is Naperville, IL from Knoxville, IL?

The driving distance from Naperville, IL to Knoxville, IL is about 173 miles (278.4 km), with a travel time of about 03h 12m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 126.4 miles (203.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 24m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
172.98 mi
03h 12m
Flight
126.36 mi
203.36 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Naperville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
126.36 mi
Kilometers
203.36 km
Flight Time
00h 15m

Driving Distance

Road route
172.98 mi
Kilometers
278.38 km
Drive Time
03h 12m

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 03h 12m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Knoxville
Sat, Apr 18, 7:21 AM CDT
Return by in Naperville
Sat, Apr 18, 10:33 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Naperville
2026-04-18T04:09
Arrive Knoxville
Sat, Apr 18, 7:21 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 12m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:12 AM to 11:12 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
10:36 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Naperville
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Rock Falls
IL

City in Illinois

From Naperville
86.4 mi
01h 36m
To Knoxville
86.6 mi
01h 36m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph WSW
Destination
57°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
14 to 20 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Naperville and Knoxville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Naperville and Knoxville.

  1. 1

    Start on North Washington Street

    15 m · 5 sec · North Washington Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West Ogden Avenue

    1972 ft · 46 sec · West Ogden Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Mill Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Mill Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto West Diehl Road

    1 km · 1 min · West Diehl Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Winfield Road

    2356 ft · 59 sec · Winfield Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 88 West: Aurora

    2051 ft · 50 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    11 mi · 13 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    69.5 mi · 1 hr 14 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  9. 9

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

  10. 10

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

    37.8 mi · 40 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

  11. 11

    Continue on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

    5.4 mi · 6 min · Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80: Peoria

    7.1 mi · 8 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

    36.7 mi · 39 min · Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward Knoxville

    1768 ft · 44 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Knox Highway 9

    110 m · 10 sec · Knox Highway 9

  16. 16

    Continue on Henderson Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · Henderson Road

  17. 17

    Continue on North Division Street

    113 m · 13 sec · North Division Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto West Main Street

    1219 ft · 26 sec · West Main Street

  19. 19

    Turn left onto North Market Street

    39 m · 6 sec · North Market Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Naperville and Knoxville.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
20 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
80.4 mi · 47%
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
42.4 mi · 25%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
38.9 mi · 23%
I 80
7.13 mi · 4%
Mill Street
1.07 mi · 1%
Henderson Road
0.78 mi
Longest Stretch

Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

69.5 mi · 01h 14m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 12m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+46.6 mi
126.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Rock Falls
01h 36m from Naperville
Leave By
10:36 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Naperville and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Knoxville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Naperville to Knoxville?

The road trip is about 173 miles (278.4 km) and usually takes 03h 12m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Rock Falls is a useful midpoint, sitting about 86.4 miles from Naperville and 86.6 miles from Knoxville.

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

The direct path is about 126.4 miles (203.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 46.6 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 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:36 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.04 one way or $46.08 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 54.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Naperville and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Knoxville.

Stop Ideas Near Rock Falls

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

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

RAIL

Princeton

48 mi away
107 Bicentennial Dr.
RAIL

Mendota station

54 mi away
783 Main Street
RAIL

Kewanee

63 mi away
Loomis and North Tremont Sts.
BUS

Moline, Illinois

77 mi away
1200 River Drive

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Naperville and Knoxville. Straight-line distance: 126.36 mi (203.36 km).

Naperville

#1 Naperville

The second most populous city in Illinois.

Population147,986
Coordinates41.7858600, -88.1472900
Altitude216
CountryUnited States
Knoxville

#2 Knoxville

City in Knox County, Illinois, United States

Population2,692
Coordinates40.9083700, -90.2848500
Altitude238
CountryUnited States
Start: Naperville (-88.14729, 41.78586)
End: Knoxville (-90.28485, 40.90837)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 278 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 27m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 52m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 28m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.11 gal
23.11 L · about $23.04
Round trip
$46.08
12.22 gal · 46.22 L
Estimated CO2
54.3 kg one way
Round trip: 108.6 kg / 239 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $23.04 $46.08
Mid-grade $4.25 $25.99 $51.97
Premium $4.65 $28.44 $56.87
Diesel $5.30 $32.41 $64.81

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Naperville and Knoxville. The current time is 04:09:09.

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.