How far is Waukegan, IL from Elk Grove Village, IL?

The driving distance from Waukegan, IL to Elk Grove Village, IL is about 35.1 miles (56.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 25.7 miles (41.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 41m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
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
35.08 mi
00h 50m
Flight
25.67 mi
41.31 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Waukegan.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
25.67 mi
Kilometers
41.31 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
35.08 mi
Kilometers
56.45 km
Drive Time
00h 50m

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 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Elk Grove Village
Sun, Apr 19, 11:53 AM CDT
Return by in Waukegan
Sun, Apr 19, 12:44 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Waukegan
2026-04-19T11:02
Arrive Elk Grove Village
Sun, Apr 19, 11:53 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:51 AM to 10:51 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:48 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Waukegan
9:30 PM CDT
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
Riverwoods
IL

City in Illinois, United States of America

From Waukegan
17.5 mi
00h 25m
To Elk Grove Village
17.5 mi
00h 25m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
49°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph WNW
Destination
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Waukegan and Elk Grove Village.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan and Elk Grove Village.

  1. 1

    Start on North Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · North Jackson Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Belvidere Road

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago

    1511 ft · 37 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    13.9 mi · 16 min · Tri-State Tollway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    7.2 mi · 9 min · Tri-State Tollway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 58: Golf Road

    2218 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Turn left onto North East River Road

    536 ft · 18 sec · North East River Road

  10. 10

    Turn right onto East Golf Road

    2.1 mi · 3 min · East Golf Road

  11. 11

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward North Wolf Road

    63 m · 4 sec · North Wolf Road

  12. 12

    Exit the roundabout onto North Wolf Road

    1299 ft · 24 sec · North Wolf Road

  13. 13

    Continue on East Golf Road

    2408 ft · 47 sec · East Golf Road

  14. 14

    Continue on West Golf Road

    2 mi · 4 min · West Golf Road

  15. 15

    Turn left onto South Busse Road

    1.8 mi · 3 min · South Busse Road

  16. 16

    Continue on Busse Road

    1 mi · 2 min · Busse Road

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Touhy Avenue

    2931 ft · 1 min · Touhy Avenue

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Lively Boulevard

    1344 ft · 37 sec · Lively Boulevard

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Lively Boulevard

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Waukegan and Elk Grove Village.

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
19 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
54.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
21 mi · 60%
East Golf Road
2.54 mi · 7%
Belvidere Road
2.15 mi · 6%
West Golf Road
2.03 mi · 6%
South Busse Road
1.79 mi · 5%
Belvidere Street
1.65 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

13.9 mi · 00h 16m

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 50m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.4 mi
25.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Riverwoods
00h 25m from Waukegan
Leave By
4:48 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Waukegan and Mostly Sunny near Elk Grove Village.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Waukegan to Elk Grove Village?

The road trip is about 35.1 miles (56.5 km) and usually takes 00h 50m 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?

Riverwoods is a useful midpoint, sitting about 17.5 miles from Waukegan and 17.5 miles from Elk Grove Village.

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

The direct path is about 25.7 miles (41.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.4 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 CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:48 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.68 one way or $9.35 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Waukegan and Mostly Sunny near Elk Grove Village.

Stop Ideas Near Riverwoods

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

13 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

39 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

39 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

42 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Waukegan and Elk Grove Village. Straight-line distance: 25.67 mi (41.31 km).

Waukegan

#1 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Elk Grove Village

#2 Elk Grove Village

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population31,831
Coordinates42.0039200, -87.9703500
Altitude209
CountryUnited States
Start: Waukegan (-87.84479, 42.36363)
End: Elk Grove Village (-87.97035, 42.00392)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 56 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 35m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 30m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.24 gal
4.69 L · about $4.68
Round trip
$9.35
2.48 gal · 9.38 L
Estimated CO2
11 kg one way
Round trip: 22 kg / 49 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $4.68 $9.35
Mid-grade $4.25 $5.27 $10.55
Premium $4.65 $5.77 $11.54
Diesel $5.30 $6.58 $13.15

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Waukegan and Elk Grove Village. The current time is 11:02:47.

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.