How far is West Town, IL from Des Plaines, IL?

The driving distance from West Town, IL to Des Plaines, IL is about 18.5 miles (29.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 37m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14.4 miles (23.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 14m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST.
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
18.5 mi
00h 37m
Flight
14.41 mi
23.19 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from West Town.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
14.41 mi
Kilometers
23.19 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.5 mi
Kilometers
29.78 km
Drive Time
00h 37m

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 37m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Des Plaines
Sat, Nov 7, 12:16 PM CST
Return by in West Town
Sat, Nov 7, 12:53 PM CST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave West Town
2026-11-07T11:39
Arrive Des Plaines
Sat, Nov 7, 12:16 PM CST
Route Timing
00h 37m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:37 AM to 7:37 PM CST

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

Leave by
7:16 PM CST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in West Town
10:00 PM CST
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
Lincolnwood
IL

Village in United States of America

From West Town
9 mi
00h 18m
To Des Plaines
9.5 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
59°F
Saturday

Slight Chance Rain then Partly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM CST
Wind
5 mph NW
Destination
51°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM CST
Wind
5 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between West Town and Des Plaines.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between West Town and Des Plaines.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    32 m · 10 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Wolcott Avenue

    49 m · 9 sec · North Wolcott Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto West Erie Street

    668 ft · 31 sec · West Erie Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto North Damen Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · North Damen Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto West Division Street

    2641 ft · 57 sec · West Division Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto North Ashland Avenue

    2691 ft · 1 min · North Ashland Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn right onto West North Avenue

    867 ft · 26 sec · West North Avenue

  8. 8

    Take the ramp left toward I 90 West, I 94 West

    800 ft · 21 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Kennedy Expressway

    5.3 mi · 7 min · Kennedy Expressway

  10. 10

    Continue on Edens Expressway

    2.2 mi · 2 min · Edens Expressway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue

    1068 ft · 26 sec

  12. 12

    Turn slight right onto North Caldwell Avenue

    2.5 mi · 4 min · North Caldwell Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue

    2.3 mi · 4 min · West Touhy Avenue

  14. 14

    Turn slight right onto Busse Highway

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Busse Highway

  15. 15

    Turn slight left onto Oakton Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Oakton Street

  16. 16

    Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road

    1.1 km · 1 min · South Des Plaines River Road

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Henry Avenue

    557 ft · 24 sec · Henry Avenue

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Henry Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between West Town and Des Plaines.

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
18 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
97.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Kennedy Expressway
5.25 mi · 28%
North Caldwell Avenue
2.52 mi · 14%
West Touhy Avenue
2.29 mi · 12%
Edens Expressway
2.18 mi · 12%
Busse Highway
1.54 mi · 8%
Oakton Street
1.07 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

Kennedy Expressway

Merge slight left onto Kennedy Expressway

5.25 mi · 00h 07m

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 37m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.1 mi
14.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lincolnwood
00h 18m from West Town
Leave By
7:16 PM CST
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain then Partly Sunny leaving West Town and Mostly Sunny near Des Plaines.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from West Town to Des Plaines?

The road trip is about 18.5 miles (29.8 km) and usually takes 00h 37m 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?

Lincolnwood is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9 miles from West Town and 9.5 miles from Des Plaines.

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

The direct path is about 14.4 miles (23.2 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 CST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:16 PM CST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.97 one way or $5.93 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain then Partly Sunny around West Town and Mostly Sunny near Des Plaines.

Stop Ideas Near Lincolnwood

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

10 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

16 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

24 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

25 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between West Town and Des Plaines. Straight-line distance: 14.41 mi (23.19 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 West Town

West Town is a place in Illinois, United States.

Population0
Coordinates41.8938100, -87.6749300
Altitude182
CountryUnited States
Des Plaines

#2 Des Plaines

The most populous city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population58,179
Coordinates42.0333600, -87.8834000
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Start: (-87.674925, 41.89366)
End: Henry Avenue (-87.883408, 42.033456)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.65 gal
2.47 L · about $2.97
Round trip
$5.93
1.3 gal · 4.94 L
Estimated CO2
5.8 kg one way
Round trip: 11.6 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.56 $2.97 $5.93
Mid-grade $5.19 $3.37 $6.74
Premium $5.75 $3.74 $7.47
Diesel $6.56 $4.27 $8.53

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 07, 2026

There is no time difference between West Town and Des Plaines. The current time is 11:39:15.

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.