How far is North Chicago, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from North Chicago, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 4 miles (6.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 08m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 2.6 miles (4.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 17m 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
3.95 mi
00h 08m
Flight
2.63 mi
4.24 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from North Chicago.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
2.63 mi
Kilometers
4.24 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
3.95 mi
Kilometers
6.36 km
Drive Time
00h 08m

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 08m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Sun, Apr 19, 6:06 AM CDT
Return by in North Chicago
Sun, Apr 19, 6:15 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave North Chicago
2026-04-19T05:58
Arrive Waukegan
Sun, Apr 19, 6:06 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 08m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:09 AM to 7:09 PM CDT

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

Leave by
8:12 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in North Chicago
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
Park City
IL

City in Lake County, Illinois, United States

From North Chicago
1.8 mi
00h 04m
To Waukegan
2.2 mi
00h 04m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
50°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph WNW
Destination
49°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between North Chicago and Waukegan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between North Chicago and Waukegan.

  1. 1

    Start on Fellows Place

    667 ft · 32 sec · Fellows Place

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 18th Street

    47 m · 15 sec · 18th Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Sheridan Road

    1.8 mi · 2 min · Sheridan Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto South Genesee Street

    1281 ft · 31 sec · South Genesee Street

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Belvidere Street

    889 ft · 25 sec · Belvidere Street

  6. 6

    Turn right onto South Martin Luther King Jr Avenue

    1721 ft · 55 sec · South Martin Luther King Jr Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Washington Street

    2932 ft · 1 min · Washington Street

  8. 8

    Turn right onto North Jackson Street

    1454 ft · 40 sec · North Jackson Street

  9. 9

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between North Chicago and Waukegan.

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
9 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
225 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Sheridan Road
1.82 mi · 46%
Washington Street
0.56 mi · 14%
South Martin Luther King Jr Avenue
0.33 mi · 8%
North Jackson Street
0.28 mi · 7%
South Genesee Street
0.24 mi · 6%
Belvidere Street
0.17 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Sheridan Road

Turn left onto Sheridan Road

1.82 mi · 00h 02m

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 08m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.4 mi
2.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Park City
00h 04m from North Chicago
Leave By
8:12 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving North Chicago and Mostly Sunny near Waukegan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from North Chicago to Waukegan?

The road trip is about 4 miles (6.4 km) and usually takes 00h 08m 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?

Park City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 1.8 miles from North Chicago and 2.2 miles from Waukegan.

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

The direct path is about 2.6 miles (4.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.4 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:12 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $0.53 one way or $1.06 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 1.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around North Chicago and Mostly Sunny near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Park City

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

31 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Sturtevant station

41 mi away
9900 East Exploration Court
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

56 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

59 mi away
25 West Burlington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between North Chicago and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 2.63 mi (4.24 km).

North Chicago

#1 North Chicago

City and suburb of Chicago, Illinois, USA

Population29,639
Coordinates42.3255800, -87.8411800
Altitude201
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Fellows Place (-87.841197, 42.325603)
End: North Jackson Street (-87.844706, 42.363629)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 6 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 07m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 05m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 04m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 03m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 03m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 02m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.14 gal
0.53 L · about $0.53
Round trip
$1.06
0.28 gal · 1.06 L
Estimated CO2
1.2 kg one way
Round trip: 2.5 kg / 6 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $0.53 $1.06
Mid-grade $4.25 $0.60 $1.19
Premium $4.65 $0.65 $1.30
Diesel $5.30 $0.74 $1.49

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 North Chicago and Waukegan. The current time is 05:58:22.

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.