How far is Somerset, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from Somerset, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 385.8 miles (620.9 km), with a travel time of about 06h 21m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 327 miles (526.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 43m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
385.81 mi
06h 21m
Flight
326.98 mi
526.22 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Somerset.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
326.98 mi
Kilometers
526.22 km
Flight Time
00h 39m

Driving Distance

Road route
385.81 mi
Kilometers
620.9 km
Drive Time
06h 21m

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 06h 21m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Thu, Apr 16, 1:18 AM CDT
Return by in Somerset
Thu, Apr 16, 7:39 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Somerset
2026-04-15T18:56
Arrive Waukegan
Thu, Apr 16, 1:18 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 21m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:22 PM to 1:52 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:16 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Somerset
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

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
Pesotum
IL

Township in Champaign County, Illinois

From Somerset
192.1 mi
03h 10m
To Waukegan
193.7 mi
03h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
86°F
This Afternoon

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 12:00 PM CDT
Wind
14 mph SW
Destination
62°F
Overnight

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 12:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Somerset and Waukegan.

  1. 1

    Start on Somerset Road

    35 m · 12 sec · Somerset Road

  2. 2

    Turn sharp left onto Deneal Road

    1.2 mi · 5 min · Deneal Road

  3. 3

    Continue on Deneal Road

    1.4 mi · 5 min · Deneal Road

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn right

    2.8 mi · 4 min

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    5.9 mi · 10 min

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn right onto South Commercial Street

    1.2 mi · 2 min · South Commercial Street

  7. 7

    Turn left

    1 km · 51 sec

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right

    53 m · 5 sec

  9. 9

    Turn slight right onto North Main Street

    31.6 mi · 48 min · North Main Street

  10. 10

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Public Square

    124 m · 10 sec · West Main Street

  11. 11

    Exit the rotary onto West Main Street

    3144 ft · 55 sec · West Main Street

  12. 12

    Take the ramp slight right

    1685 ft · 41 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Ken Gray Expressway

    24 mi · 26 min · Ken Gray Expressway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on Ken Gray Expressway

    67.5 mi · 1 hr 13 min · Ken Gray Expressway

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on I 57 North: Chicago

    195.2 mi · 3 hr 34 min

  16. 16

    Continue on Dan Ryan Expressway

    3.3 mi · 5 min · Dan Ryan Expressway

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

    7.9 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

  18. 18

    Continue on Kennedy Expressway

    8.2 mi · 12 min · Kennedy Expressway

  19. 19

    Continue on Edens Expressway

    13.5 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on Skokie Highway

    3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway

  21. 21

    Continue on Skokie Valley Road

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Skokie Valley Road

  22. 22

    Continue on South Skokie Highway

    8.2 mi · 10 min · South Skokie Highway

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 120 East

    1323 ft · 36 sec

  24. 24

    Turn straight onto Belvidere Road

    1830 ft · 33 sec · Belvidere Road

  25. 25

    Continue on Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  26. 26

    Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  27. 27

    Turn left onto South Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · South Jackson Street

  28. 28

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
28 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
1 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 57 North
195 mi · 51%
Ken Gray Expressway
91.4 mi · 24%
North Main Street
31.6 mi · 8%
Edens Expressway
13.5 mi · 4%
Deneal Road
8.5 mi · 2%
South Skokie Highway
8.22 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 57 North

Keep slight left to continue on I 57 North: Chicago

195 mi · 03h 34m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 21m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+58.8 mi
327 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Pesotum
03h 10m from Somerset
Leave By
11:16 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Somerset 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 Somerset to Waukegan?

The road trip is about 385.8 miles (620.9 km) and usually takes 06h 21m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Pesotum is a useful midpoint, sitting about 192.1 miles from Somerset and 193.7 miles from Waukegan.

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

The direct path is about 327 miles (526.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 58.8 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $51.32 one way or $102.65 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 121 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Somerset and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Pesotum

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

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

RAIL

Illinois Terminal

23 mi away
45 East University Ave.
RAIL

Rantoul

45 mi away
West Sangamon and North Kentucky Aves.
RAIL

Mattoon station

49 mi away
1718 Broadway Ave.
BUS

Danville, Illinois

59 mi away
379 Lynch Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Somerset and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 326.98 mi (526.22 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Somerset

Unincorporated community in Illinois

Population3,955
Coordinates37.6544900, -88.4572700
Altitude139
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Somerset Road (-88.457217, 37.65454)
End: North Jackson Street (-87.844706, 42.363629)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 621 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 48m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.61 gal
51.53 L · about $51.32
Round trip
$102.65
27.22 gal · 103.06 L
Estimated CO2
121 kg one way
Round trip: 241.9 kg / 533 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $51.32 $102.65
Mid-grade $4.25 $57.88 $115.77
Premium $4.65 $63.34 $126.68
Diesel $5.30 $72.19 $144.37

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 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Somerset and Waukegan. The current time is 18:56:14.

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.