How far is Riverwoods, IL from Elgin, IL?

The driving distance from Riverwoods, IL to Elgin, IL is about 29.6 miles (47.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 21.6 miles (34.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 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
29.58 mi
00h 38m
Flight
21.65 mi
34.85 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Riverwoods.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
21.65 mi
Kilometers
34.85 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
29.58 mi
Kilometers
47.6 km
Drive Time
00h 38m

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 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Elgin
Sun, Apr 19, 10:17 AM CDT
Return by in Riverwoods
Sun, Apr 19, 10:56 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Riverwoods
2026-04-19T09:38
Arrive Elgin
Sun, Apr 19, 10:17 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:39 AM to 7:39 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:12 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Riverwoods
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Inverness
IL

Village in United States of America

From Riverwoods
13.1 mi
00h 19m
To Elgin
16.5 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
52°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WNW
Destination
51°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Riverwoods and Elgin.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Riverwoods and Elgin.

  1. 1

    Start on Portwine Road

    2 m · 4 sec · Portwine Road

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Deerfield Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Deerfield Road

  3. 3

    Continue on Deerfield Parkway

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Deerfield Parkway

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Weiland Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Weiland Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto East Lake Cook Road

    1119 ft · 21 sec · East Lake Cook Road

  6. 6

    Continue on Lake Cook Road

    3.1 mi · 5 min · Lake Cook Road

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Lake Cook Road

    2922 ft · 49 sec · Lake Cook Road

  8. 8

    Turn left onto North Hicks Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · North Hicks Road

  9. 9

    Turn right onto East Dundee Road

    7.9 mi · 12 min · East Dundee Road

  10. 10

    Continue on New Sutton Road

    3.3 mi · 5 min · New Sutton Road

  11. 11

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford

    2305 ft · 56 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    2.8 mi · 3 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 25

    154 m · 12 sec

  14. 14

    Continue on IL 25

    2671 ft · 1 min

  15. 15

    Continue straight

    648 ft · 18 sec

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Dundee Avenue

    2 mi · 4 min · Dundee Avenue

  17. 17

    Continue on Center Street

    694 ft · 24 sec · Center Street

  18. 18

    Turn right

    95 m · 28 sec

  19. 19

    Turn left onto East Chicago Street

    36 m · 3 sec · East Chicago Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Chicago Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Riverwoods and Elgin.

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
20 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
67.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
East Dundee Road
7.88 mi · 27%
Lake Cook Road
3.62 mi · 12%
New Sutton Road
3.33 mi · 11%
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
2.81 mi · 10%
Dundee Avenue
1.97 mi · 7%
Deerfield Parkway
1.54 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

East Dundee Road

Turn right onto East Dundee Road

7.88 mi · 00h 12m

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 38m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+8 mi
21.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Inverness
00h 19m from Riverwoods
Leave By
7:12 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Riverwoods and Mostly Sunny near Elgin.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Riverwoods to Elgin?

The road trip is about 29.6 miles (47.6 km) and usually takes 00h 38m 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?

Inverness is a useful midpoint, sitting about 13.1 miles from Riverwoods and 16.5 miles from Elgin.

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

The direct path is about 21.6 miles (34.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 8 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 7:12 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.92 one way or $7.84 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Riverwoods and Mostly Sunny near Elgin.

Stop Ideas Near Inverness

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

24 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Naperville

38 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

La Grange Road

38 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

43 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Riverwoods and Elgin. Straight-line distance: 21.65 mi (34.85 km).

Riverwoods

#1 Riverwoods

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population3,534
Coordinates42.1675300, -87.8970100
Altitude200
CountryUnited States
Elgin

#2 Elgin

The second most populous city in Kane County, Illinois.

Population110,196
Coordinates42.0372500, -88.2811900
Altitude227
CountryUnited States
Start: Portwine Road (-87.897003, 42.167513)
End: East Chicago Street (-88.281194, 42.037244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 48 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 59m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 44m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 35m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 29m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 25m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 22m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.04 gal
3.95 L · about $3.92
Round trip
$7.84
2.08 gal · 7.9 L
Estimated CO2
9.2 kg one way
Round trip: 18.5 kg / 41 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.92 $7.84
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.42 $8.85
Premium $4.65 $4.84 $9.68
Diesel $5.30 $5.52 $11.03

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 Riverwoods and Elgin. The current time is 09:38:22.

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.