How far is Oakbrook Terrace, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from Oakbrook Terrace, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 44.3 miles (71.3 km), with a travel time of about 01h 00m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 36 miles (58 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 00m 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
44.29 mi
01h 00m
Flight
36.01 mi
57.96 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Oakbrook Terrace.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
36.01 mi
Kilometers
57.96 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
44.29 mi
Kilometers
71.28 km
Drive Time
01h 00m

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 01h 00m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Thu, Apr 16, 1:51 AM CDT
Return by in Oakbrook Terrace
Thu, Apr 16, 2:52 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Oakbrook Terrace
2026-04-16T00:51
Arrive Waukegan
Thu, Apr 16, 1:51 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 00m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:30 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Oakbrook Terrace
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
Ridgeland
IL

Township in Iroquois County, Illinois

From Oakbrook Terrace
22.1 mi
00h 30m
To Waukegan
22.1 mi
00h 30m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
70°F
Thursday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph W
Destination
69°F
Thursday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Oakbrook Terrace and Waukegan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Oakbrook Terrace and Waukegan.

  1. 1

    Start on Halsey Road

    123 m · 19 sec · Halsey Road

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Karban Road

    555 ft · 30 sec · Karban Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto MacArthur Drive

    676 ft · 32 sec · MacArthur Drive

  4. 4

    Turn left onto West 22nd Street

    1354 ft · 37 sec · West 22nd Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Kingery Highway

    988 ft · 20 sec · Kingery Highway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 88 Toll East: Chicago

    1.1 km · 1 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    2 mi · 3 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 294 North, I 290 West: Milwaukee, Rockford

    3128 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 294 Toll North: O'Hare International Airport, Milwaukee

    1156 ft · 28 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    35.2 mi · 43 min · Tri-State Tollway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 120 East: Belvidere Road

    1923 ft · 47 sec

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto Belvidere Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Road

  13. 13

    Continue on Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn left onto South Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · South Jackson Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Oakbrook Terrace 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
16 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
36.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
35.2 mi · 79%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
2.01 mi · 5%
Belvidere Road
1.87 mi · 4%
Belvidere Street
1.65 mi · 4%
I 88 Toll East
0.66 mi · 1%
I 294 North
0.59 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

35.2 mi · 00h 43m

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
01h 00m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+8.3 mi
36 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Ridgeland
00h 30m from Oakbrook Terrace
Leave By
4:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Oakbrook Terrace and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Waukegan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Oakbrook Terrace to Waukegan?

The road trip is about 44.3 miles (71.3 km) and usually takes 01h 00m 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?

Ridgeland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 22.1 miles from Oakbrook Terrace and 22.1 miles from Waukegan.

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

The direct path is about 36 miles (58 km), while the road route adds roughly 8.3 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 4:30 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.88 one way or $11.77 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 13.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Oakbrook Terrace and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Ridgeland

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

8 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

La Grange Road

34 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

34 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

Summit

37 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Oakbrook Terrace and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 36.01 mi (57.96 km).

Oakbrook Terrace

#1 Oakbrook Terrace

City in DuPage County, Illinois

Population2,094
Coordinates41.8500300, -87.9645100
Altitude209
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Oakbrook Terrace (-87.96451, 41.85003)
End: Waukegan (-87.84479, 42.36363)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 71 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 28m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 06m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 53m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 44m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 37m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 33m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.56 gal
5.92 L · about $5.88
Round trip
$11.77
3.12 gal · 11.84 L
Estimated CO2
13.9 kg one way
Round trip: 27.7 kg / 61 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.88 $11.77
Mid-grade $4.25 $6.63 $13.27
Premium $4.65 $7.26 $14.52
Diesel $5.30 $8.27 $16.55

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Oakbrook Terrace and Waukegan. The current time is 00:51:24.

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.