How far is Niles, IL from Chester, IL?

The driving distance from Niles, IL to Chester, IL is about 345.7 miles (556.4 km), with a travel time of about 06h 46m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 303.1 miles (487.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 33m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
345.76 mi
06h 46m
Flight
303.1 mi
487.8 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Niles.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
303.1 mi
Kilometers
487.8 km
Flight Time
00h 36m

Driving Distance

Road route
345.76 mi
Kilometers
556.44 km
Drive Time
06h 46m

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 06h 46m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chester
Fri, Oct 16, 2:10 AM CDT
Return by in Niles
Fri, Oct 16, 8:57 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Niles
2026-10-15T19:24
Arrive Chester
Fri, Oct 16, 2:10 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 46m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:47 PM to 2:17 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:26 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Niles
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

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
Lincoln
IL

City in Illinois, United States

From Niles
172.8 mi
03h 23m
To Chester
172.9 mi
03h 23m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Today

Rain Showers

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 11:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SE
Destination
88°F
This Afternoon

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
12 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Niles and Chester.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Niles and Chester.

  1. 1

    Start on North Waukegan Road

    2122 ft · 44 sec · North Waukegan Road

  2. 2

    Continue on North Milwaukee Avenue

    155 m · 17 sec · North Milwaukee Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue

    3.5 mi · 7 min · West Touhy Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road

    56 m · 4 sec · South Des Plaines River Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 294 South: Indiana

    2265 ft · 55 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    11.5 mi · 15 min · Tri-State Tollway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    4.8 mi · 6 min · Tri-State Tollway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis

    1 km · 1 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis

    2295 ft · 56 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway

    119.4 mi · 2 hr 13 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield

    64.8 mi · 1 hr 10 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis

    77.9 mi · 1 hr 24 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 159 South: Collinsville

    1434 ft · 48 sec

  15. 15

    Continue on Vandalia Street

    3 mi · 5 min · Vandalia Street

  16. 16

    Continue on South Morrison Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · South Morrison Avenue

  17. 17

    Continue on North Illinois Street

    9.8 mi · 15 min · North Illinois Street

  18. 18

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Illinois Street

    55 m · 5 sec · South Illinois Street

  19. 19

    Exit the rotary onto South Illinois Street

    8.3 mi · 13 min · South Illinois Street

  20. 20

    Continue on State Route 159

    6.1 mi · 9 min · State Route 159

  21. 21

    Continue on North Main Street

    1163 ft · 20 sec · North Main Street

  22. 22

    Continue on N Main St

    810 ft · 14 sec · N Main St

  23. 23

    Continue on Main Street

    8 mi · 12 min · Main Street

  24. 24

    Continue straight

    23.3 mi · 29 min

  25. 25

    Turn right onto State Street

    118 m · 7 sec · State Street

  26. 26

    Turn right onto East Stacey Street

    38 m · 6 sec · East Stacey Street

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Stacey Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Niles and Chester.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
27 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 55 South
143 mi · 41%
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
119 mi · 35%
Main Street
31.4 mi · 9%
Tri-State Tollway
17.5 mi · 5%
North Illinois Street
9.76 mi · 3%
South Illinois Street
8.32 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Adlai Stevenson Expressway

Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway

119 mi · 02h 13m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 46m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 34m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+42.6 mi
303.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lincoln
03h 23m from Niles
Leave By
10:26 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Rain Showers leaving Niles and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Chester.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Niles to Chester?

The road trip is about 345.7 miles (556.4 km) and usually takes 06h 46m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Lincoln is a useful midpoint, sitting about 172.8 miles from Niles and 172.9 miles from Chester.

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

The direct path is about 303.1 miles (487.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 42.6 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 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $56.91 one way or $113.83 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 108.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers around Niles and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Chester.

Stop Ideas Near Lincoln

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Lincoln and the surrounding midpoint area.
Route 66 Original Alignment- Driveable!
Scenic stop 12 mi away

Route 66 Original Alignment- Driveable!

Atlanta , IL
865 SW Arch St, Atlanta, IL 61723, United States
Rating 5.0/5 1 reviews Tourist attraction
City of Lincoln
Meeting point 3.6 mi away

City of Lincoln

Lincoln , IL
700 Broadway St, Lincoln, IL 62656
Rating 3.8/5 4 reviews City government office

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Lincoln.

RAIL

Lincoln

Broadway and North Chicago Sts.
RAIL

Springfield station

46 mi away
East Washington and North Third Sts.
RAIL

Uptown Station

51 mi away
100 East Parkinson St.
BUS

Peoria, Illinois

64 mi away
6100 West Everett M. Dirksen Parkway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Niles and Chester. Straight-line distance: 303.1 mi (487.8 km).

Niles

#1 Niles

City in Trumbull County, Ohio

Population28,615
Coordinates42.0189200, -87.8028400
Altitude194
CountryUnited States
Chester

#2 Chester

City in Illinois

Population8,145
Coordinates37.9136600, -89.8220500
Altitude204
CountryUnited States
Start: Niles (-87.80284, 42.01892)
End: Chester (-89.82205, 37.91366)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 556 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 31m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 54m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 45m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 56m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.2 gal
46.18 L · about $56.91
Round trip
$113.83
24.4 gal · 92.36 L
Estimated CO2
108.4 kg one way
Round trip: 216.8 kg / 478 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.67 $56.91 $113.83
Mid-grade $5.29 $64.56 $129.12
Premium $5.84 $71.21 $142.42
Diesel $6.57 $80.17 $160.33

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 Niles and Chester. The current time is 19:24:21.

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.