How far is Riley, IL from Evanston, IL?

The driving distance from Riley, IL to Evanston, IL is about 56.4 miles (90.8 km), with a travel time of about 01h 06m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 49.4 miles (79.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 13m 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
56.42 mi
01h 06m
Flight
49.41 mi
79.52 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Riley.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
49.41 mi
Kilometers
79.52 km
Flight Time
00h 05m

Driving Distance

Road route
56.42 mi
Kilometers
90.8 km
Drive Time
01h 06m

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 06m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Evanston
Sat, Apr 18, 2:41 PM CDT
Return by in Riley
Sat, Apr 18, 3:48 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Riley
2026-04-18T13:34
Arrive Evanston
Sat, Apr 18, 2:41 PM CDT
Route Timing
01h 06m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:07 AM to 11:07 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:16 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Riley
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
South Barrington
IL

Village in United States of America

From Riley
26.8 mi
00h 33m
To Evanston
29.6 mi
00h 33m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
50°F
Saturday

Rain Showers Likely then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph WNW
Destination
55°F
Saturday

Rain Showers

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

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Riley and Evanston.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Riley and Evanston.

  1. 1

    Start on Riley Road

    2932 ft · 2 min · Riley Road

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Harmony Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Harmony Road

  3. 3

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward South State Street

    7 m · 1 sec · South State Street

  4. 4

    Exit the roundabout onto South State Street

    1061 ft · 18 sec · South State Street

  5. 5

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward South State Street

    25 m · 1 sec · South State Street

  6. 6

    Exit the roundabout onto South State Street

    1342 ft · 23 sec · South State Street

  7. 7

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward South State Street

    68 m · 4 sec

  8. 8

    Exit the rotary onto I 90 East Toll: Chicago

    1853 ft · 45 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    1.6 km · 1 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    35.7 mi · 38 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Elmhurst Road

    2200 ft · 42 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Elmhurst Road North

    88 m · 9 sec

  13. 13

    Turn straight onto South Elmhurst Road

    1889 ft · 42 sec · South Elmhurst Road

  14. 14

    Turn right onto West Oakton Street

    645 ft · 13 sec · West Oakton Street

  15. 15

    Continue on West Oakton Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · West Oakton Street

  16. 16

    Continue on East Oakton Street

    6.1 mi · 13 min · East Oakton Street

  17. 17

    Continue on Oakton Street

    5.8 mi · 11 min · Oakton Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Asbury Avenue

    1 mi · 2 min · Asbury Avenue

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Dempster Street

    65 m · 9 sec · Dempster Street

  20. 20

    Turn uturn

    65 m · 18 sec

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Riley 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
21 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
1 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
37.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
36.6 mi · 65%
East Oakton Street
6.12 mi · 11%
Oakton Street
5.79 mi · 10%
Asbury Avenue
1.02 mi · 2%
West Oakton Street
1 mi · 2%
Harmony Road
0.75 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Keep slight left to continue on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

35.7 mi · 00h 38m

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 06m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+7 mi
49.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
South Barrington
00h 33m from Riley
Leave By
4:16 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Rain Showers Likely then Mostly Sunny leaving Riley and Rain Showers near Evanston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Riley to Evanston?

The road trip is about 56.4 miles (90.8 km) and usually takes 01h 06m 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?

South Barrington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 26.8 miles from Riley and 29.6 miles from Evanston.

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

The direct path is about 49.4 miles (79.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 7 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 4:16 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $7.50 one way or $15.01 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 17.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers Likely then Mostly Sunny around Riley and Rain Showers near Evanston.

Stop Ideas Near South Barrington

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

26 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Naperville

35 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

La Grange Road

37 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

42 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Riley and Evanston. Straight-line distance: 49.41 mi (79.52 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Riley

Human settlement in Illinois, United States of America

Population2,823
Coordinates42.1914100, -88.6325900
Altitude246
CountryUnited States
Evanston

#2 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Start: Riley Road (-88.6326, 42.19141)
End: (-87.689971, 42.041051)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 91 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 52m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 07m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 56m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 48m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 42m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.99 gal
7.54 L · about $7.50
Round trip
$15.01
3.98 gal · 15.08 L
Estimated CO2
17.7 kg one way
Round trip: 35.4 kg / 78 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $7.50 $15.01
Mid-grade $4.25 $8.46 $16.93
Premium $4.65 $9.26 $18.52
Diesel $5.30 $10.55 $21.11

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 Riley and Evanston. The current time is 13:34:51.

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.