How far is Skokie, IL from Des Plaines, IL?

The driving distance from Skokie, IL to Des Plaines, IL is about 8.9 miles (14.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 7.7 miles (12.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 40m 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
8.92 mi
00h 20m
Flight
7.7 mi
12.39 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Skokie.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
7.7 mi
Kilometers
12.39 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
8.92 mi
Kilometers
14.35 km
Drive Time
00h 20m

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 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Des Plaines
Thu, Oct 15, 4:10 PM CDT
Return by in Skokie
Thu, Oct 15, 4:30 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Skokie
2026-10-15T15:50
Arrive Des Plaines
Thu, Oct 15, 4:10 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:20 AM to 7:20 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:50 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Skokie
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
Niles
IL

City in Trumbull County, Ohio

From Skokie
4.8 mi
00h 10m
To Des Plaines
4.2 mi
00h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
This Afternoon

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
10 mph SE
Destination
63°F
This Afternoon

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Skokie and Des Plaines.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Skokie and Des Plaines.

  1. 1

    Start on Main Street

    48 m · 9 sec · Main Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Main Street

    1344 ft · 56 sec · Main Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Kostner Avenue

    2670 ft · 1 min · Kostner Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Oakton Street

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Oakton Street

  5. 5

    Turn slight left onto Gross Point Road

    2627 ft · 52 sec · Gross Point Road

  6. 6

    Turn straight onto New Gross Point Road

    531 ft · 15 sec · New Gross Point Road

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Howard Street

    1222 ft · 35 sec · Howard Street

  8. 8

    Turn left onto North Lehigh Avenue

    37 m · 2 sec · North Lehigh Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn right onto West Gross Point Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · West Gross Point Road

  10. 10

    Turn slight right onto West Touhy Avenue

    2.1 mi · 4 min · West Touhy Avenue

  11. 11

    Turn slight right onto Busse Highway

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Busse Highway

  12. 12

    Turn slight left onto Oakton Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Oakton Street

  13. 13

    Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road

    1.1 km · 1 min · South Des Plaines River Road

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Henry Avenue

    557 ft · 24 sec · Henry Avenue

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Henry Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Skokie and Des Plaines.

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
15 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
168.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Oakton Street
2.57 mi · 29%
West Touhy Avenue
2.14 mi · 24%
Busse Highway
1.54 mi · 17%
West Gross Point Road
0.89 mi · 10%
South Des Plaines River Road
0.66 mi · 7%
Kostner Avenue
0.51 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

West Touhy Avenue

Turn slight right onto West Touhy Avenue

2.14 mi · 00h 04m

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 20m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.2 mi
7.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Niles
00h 10m from Skokie
Leave By
7:50 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Skokie and Showers And Thunderstorms near Des Plaines.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Skokie to Des Plaines?

The road trip is about 8.9 miles (14.3 km) and usually takes 00h 20m 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?

Niles is a useful midpoint, sitting about 4.8 miles from Skokie and 4.2 miles from Des Plaines.

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

The direct path is about 7.7 miles (12.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.2 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 7:50 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.45 one way or $2.89 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 2.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Skokie and Showers And Thunderstorms near Des Plaines.

Stop Ideas Near Niles

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

6 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

21 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

23 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

25 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Skokie and Des Plaines. Straight-line distance: 7.7 mi (12.39 km).

Skokie

#1 Skokie

Village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Population62,404
Coordinates42.0333600, -87.7333900
Altitude185
CountryUnited States
Des Plaines

#2 Des Plaines

The most populous city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population58,179
Coordinates42.0333600, -87.8834000
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Start: Main Street (-87.733389, 42.033454)
End: Henry Avenue (-87.883408, 42.033456)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 14 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 17m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 13m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 10m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 08m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 06m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.31 gal
1.19 L · about $1.45
Round trip
$2.89
0.62 gal · 2.38 L
Estimated CO2
2.8 kg one way
Round trip: 5.5 kg / 12 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.67 $1.45 $2.89
Mid-grade $5.29 $1.64 $3.28
Premium $5.84 $1.81 $3.62
Diesel $6.57 $2.04 $4.07

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 Skokie and Des Plaines. The current time is 15:50:33.

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.