How far is South Elgin, IL from Palatine, IL?

The driving distance from South Elgin, IL to Palatine, IL is about 20.7 miles (33.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 33m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 15.5 miles (24.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 06m 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
20.71 mi
00h 33m
Flight
15.48 mi
24.91 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from South Elgin.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
15.48 mi
Kilometers
24.91 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
20.71 mi
Kilometers
33.33 km
Drive Time
00h 33m

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 33m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Palatine
Tue, Apr 14, 10:51 AM CDT
Return by in South Elgin
Tue, Apr 14, 11:25 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave South Elgin
2026-04-14T10:18
Arrive Palatine
Tue, Apr 14, 10:51 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 33m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:33 AM to 7:33 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:24 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in South Elgin
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
Streamwood
IL

Village in United States of America

From South Elgin
10.3 mi
00h 16m
To Palatine
10.4 mi
00h 16m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Tuesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph SW
Destination
75°F
Tuesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Tue, Apr 14 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Elgin and Palatine.

  1. 1

    Start on South Center Street

    12 m · 4 sec · South Center Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto East State Street

    608 ft · 14 sec · East State Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Gilbert Street

    104 m · 12 sec · South Gilbert Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto East Middle Street

    1.2 mi · 2 min · East Middle Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Bartlett Road

    3.1 mi · 5 min · Bartlett Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto South Sutton Road

    2.6 mi · 5 min · South Sutton Road

  7. 7

    Continue on New Sutton Road

    2.4 mi · 4 min · New Sutton Road

  8. 8

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 90 Toll East: Chicago

    1849 ft · 45 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    5.2 mi · 6 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Roselle Road

    1988 ft · 50 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto North Roselle Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · North Roselle Road

  12. 12

    Continue on South Roselle Road

    2262 ft · 49 sec · South Roselle Road

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Euclid Avenue

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Euclid Avenue

  14. 14

    Turn left onto South Plum Grove Road

    1.5 mi · 3 min · South Plum Grove Road

  15. 15

    Turn right onto East Palatine Road

    2592 ft · 54 sec · East Palatine Road

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Palatine Road

Car Route Details

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

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
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
77.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
5.22 mi · 25%
Bartlett Road
3.14 mi · 15%
South Sutton Road
2.6 mi · 13%
New Sutton Road
2.36 mi · 11%
Euclid Avenue
1.79 mi · 9%
South Plum Grove Road
1.51 mi · 7%
Longest Stretch

Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

5.22 mi · 00h 06m

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 33m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 06m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.2 mi
15.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Streamwood
00h 16m from South Elgin
Leave By
7:24 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving South Elgin and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Palatine.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from South Elgin to Palatine?

The road trip is about 20.7 miles (33.3 km) and usually takes 00h 33m 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?

Streamwood is a useful midpoint, sitting about 10.3 miles from South Elgin and 10.4 miles from Palatine.

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

The direct path is about 15.5 miles (24.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.2 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 7:24 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.75 one way or $5.51 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around South Elgin and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Palatine.

Stop Ideas Near Streamwood

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

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

RAIL

Naperville

28 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

Glenview station

31 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

La Grange Road

35 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

40 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between South Elgin and Palatine. Straight-line distance: 15.48 mi (24.91 km).

South Elgin

#1 South Elgin

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population24,646
Coordinates41.9941900, -88.2923000
Altitude216
CountryUnited States
Palatine

#2 Palatine

Village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Population66,830
Coordinates42.1103000, -88.0342400
Altitude226
CountryUnited States
Start: South Elgin (-88.2923, 41.99419)
End: Palatine (-88.03424, 42.1103)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 33 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 41m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 31m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 24m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 20m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 17m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 15m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.73 gal
2.77 L · about $2.75
Round trip
$5.51
1.46 gal · 5.54 L
Estimated CO2
6.5 kg one way
Round trip: 13 kg / 29 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.75 $5.51
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.10 $6.21
Premium $4.65 $3.40 $6.79
Diesel $5.30 $3.87 $7.74

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 14, 2026

There is no time difference between South Elgin and Palatine. The current time is 10:18:30.

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.