How far is Sycamore, IL from Elgin, IL?

The driving distance from Sycamore, IL to Elgin, IL is about 25.2 miles (40.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 21.1 miles (33.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 09m 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
25.2 mi
00h 34m
Flight
21.08 mi
33.93 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sycamore.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
21.08 mi
Kilometers
33.93 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
25.2 mi
Kilometers
40.55 km
Drive Time
00h 34m

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 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Elgin
Tue, May 5, 8:38 AM CDT
Return by in Sycamore
Tue, May 5, 9:13 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sycamore
2026-05-05T08:03
Arrive Elgin
Tue, May 5, 8:38 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:35 AM to 7:35 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:20 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Sycamore
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
Salina
IL

Township of Illinois

From Sycamore
11.9 mi
00h 17m
To Elgin
13.3 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
55°F
Tuesday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Tue, May 5 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph N
Destination
55°F
Tuesday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Tue, May 5 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph NNE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on West State Street

    623 ft · 18 sec · West State Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto North Main Street

    1.9 mi · 3 min · North Main Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Plank Road

    16.7 mi · 27 min · Plank Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

  5. 5

    Continue on Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway

    3148 ft · 51 sec · Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway

    1260 ft · 20 sec · Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight left toward Larkin Avenue

    2317 ft · 59 sec

  8. 8

    Continue on Larkin Avenue

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Larkin Avenue

  9. 9

    Continue on West Highland Avenue

    2931 ft · 1 min · West Highland Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn right onto North State Street

    100 m · 16 sec · North State Street

  11. 11

    Turn left onto East Chicago Street

    1719 ft · 55 sec · East Chicago Street

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Chicago Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sycamore 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
12 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
0 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
47.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Plank Road
16.7 mi · 66%
Larkin Avenue
2.06 mi · 8%
North Main Street
1.91 mi · 8%
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
1.34 mi · 5%
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
0.6 mi · 2%
West Highland Avenue
0.55 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Plank Road

Turn right onto Plank Road

16.7 mi · 00h 27m

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 34m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.1 mi
21.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Salina
00h 17m from Sycamore
Leave By
7:20 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Sycamore and Chance Rain Showers near Elgin.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 25.2 miles (40.6 km) and usually takes 00h 34m 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?

Salina is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.9 miles from Sycamore and 13.3 miles from Elgin.

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

The direct path is about 21.1 miles (33.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.1 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:20 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.36 one way or $6.71 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Sycamore and Chance Rain Showers near Elgin.

Stop Ideas Near Salina

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

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

RAIL

Naperville

41 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

Plano

43 mi away
101 West Main Street
BUS

Rockford, Illinois

47 mi away
7559 Walton St.
RAIL

Glenview station

57 mi away
1116 Depot St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sycamore and Elgin. Straight-line distance: 21.08 mi (33.93 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Sycamore

City in Illinois

Population18,317
Coordinates41.9889200, -88.6867500
Altitude266
CountryUnited States
Elgin

#2 Elgin

The second most populous city in Kane County, Illinois.

Population110,196
Coordinates42.0372500, -88.2811900
Altitude227
CountryUnited States
Start: W State Street (-88.68678, 41.988808)
End: East Chicago Street (-88.281194, 42.037244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 41 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 50m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 30m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.89 gal
3.37 L · about $3.36
Round trip
$6.71
1.78 gal · 6.74 L
Estimated CO2
7.9 kg one way
Round trip: 15.8 kg / 35 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.36 $6.71
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.79 $7.57
Premium $4.65 $4.14 $8.28
Diesel $5.30 $4.72 $9.44

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 · May 05, 2026

There is no time difference between Sycamore and Elgin. The current time is 08:03:54.

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.