How far is Summit, IL from Evanston, IL?

The driving distance from Summit, IL to Evanston, IL is about 27.6 miles (44.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 54m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18.5 miles (29.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 48m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CST.
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
27.6 mi
00h 54m
Flight
18.55 mi
29.85 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Summit.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.55 mi
Kilometers
29.85 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
27.6 mi
Kilometers
44.42 km
Drive Time
00h 54m

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 54m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Evanston
Wed, Nov 11, 4:06 AM CST
Return by in Summit
Wed, Nov 11, 5:00 AM CST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Summit
2026-11-11T03:12
Arrive Evanston
Wed, Nov 11, 4:06 AM CST
Route Timing
00h 54m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CST
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:54 AM to 10:54 AM CST

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

Leave by
4:42 PM CST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Summit
9:30 PM CST
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
Chicago
IL

The third most populous city in the United States and the center of the Chicago metropolitan area.

From Summit
11.6 mi
00h 27m
To Evanston
16 mi
00h 27m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
55°F
Veterans Day

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain

Starts
Wed, Nov 11 6:00 AM CST
Wind
0 to 10 mph E
Destination
54°F
Veterans Day

Chance Rain

Starts
Wed, Nov 11 6:00 AM CST
Wind
0 to 10 mph ENE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on South Archer Avenue

    1023 ft · 25 sec · South Archer Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Archer Avenue

    2404 ft · 1 min · Archer Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto South Harlem Avenue

    2373 ft · 50 sec · South Harlem Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the ramp right toward I 55 North

    2418 ft · 59 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway

  6. 6

    Continue on Stevenson Expressway

    3.6 mi · 5 min · Stevenson Expressway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue

    912 ft · 24 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on Damen Avenue

    1372 ft · 34 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue

    134 m · 13 sec

  10. 10

    Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue

    2.4 mi · 5 min · South Damen Avenue

  11. 11

    Turn right onto West Ogden Avenue

    1.9 mi · 4 min · West Ogden Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left onto I 90 West, I 94 West

    874 ft · 24 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Kennedy Expressway

    2 mi · 3 min · Kennedy Expressway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward Damen Avenue

    875 ft · 24 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right onto North Damen Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · North Damen Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn slight left onto North Clybourn Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · North Clybourn Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn right onto North Western Avenue

    5.5 mi · 11 min · North Western Avenue

  18. 18

    Continue on Asbury Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 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 Summit 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
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
76.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Western Avenue
5.53 mi · 20%
Stevenson Expressway
3.63 mi · 13%
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
2.47 mi · 9%
South Damen Avenue
2.45 mi · 9%
Kennedy Expressway
2 mi · 7%
West Ogden Avenue
1.87 mi · 7%
Longest Stretch

North Western Avenue

Turn right onto North Western Avenue

5.53 mi · 00h 11m

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
00h 54m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.1 mi
18.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Chicago
00h 27m from Summit
Leave By
4:42 PM CST
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain leaving Summit and Chance Rain near Evanston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 27.6 miles (44.4 km) and usually takes 00h 54m 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?

Chicago is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.6 miles from Summit and 16 miles from Evanston.

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

The direct path is about 18.5 miles (29.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.1 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 CST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:42 PM CST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.34 one way or $8.68 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain around Summit and Chance Rain near Evanston.

Stop Ideas Near Chicago

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

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

RAIL

Chicago Union Station

3 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

Summit

15 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.
RAIL

La Grange Road

19 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Hammond–Whiting station

21 mi away
1135 South Calumet Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Summit and Evanston. Straight-line distance: 18.55 mi (29.85 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Summit

Summit is a place in Illinois, United States.

Population0
Coordinates41.7880900, -87.8103300
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Evanston

#2 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Start: South Archer Avenue (-87.810328, 41.78809)
End: (-87.689971, 42.041051)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 44 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 55m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 33m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.97 gal
3.69 L · about $4.34
Round trip
$8.68
1.94 gal · 7.38 L
Estimated CO2
8.6 kg one way
Round trip: 17.2 kg / 38 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.48 $4.34 $8.68
Mid-grade $5.09 $4.94 $9.87
Premium $5.65 $5.48 $10.96
Diesel $6.51 $6.31 $12.62

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 · Nov 10, 2026

There is no time difference between Summit and Evanston. The current time is 03:12:15.

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.