How far is Willow Springs, IL from Des Plaines, IL?

The driving distance from Willow Springs, IL to Des Plaines, IL is about 25.5 miles (41.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 20.3 miles (32.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 04m 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
25.54 mi
00h 32m
Flight
20.24 mi
32.58 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Willow Springs.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
20.24 mi
Kilometers
32.58 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
25.54 mi
Kilometers
41.11 km
Drive Time
00h 32m

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 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Des Plaines
Sun, Apr 19, 7:20 AM CDT
Return by in Willow Springs
Sun, Apr 19, 7:52 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Willow Springs
2026-04-19T06:48
Arrive Des Plaines
Sun, Apr 19, 7:20 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:32 AM to 7:32 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:26 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Willow Springs
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

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
Hillside
IL

Village in United States of America

From Willow Springs
12.7 mi
00h 16m
To Des Plaines
12.8 mi
00h 16m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 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 Willow Springs and Des Plaines.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Willow Springs and Des Plaines.

  1. 1

    Start on Hilton Street

    19 m · 5 sec · Hilton Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Archer Avenue

    2357 ft · 57 sec · Archer Avenue

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right toward US 12 North, US 20 North, US 45 North: La Grange Road

    1813 ft · 1 min

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto La Grange Road

    1.6 mi · 3 min · La Grange Road

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward I 55 South: Saint Louis

    1689 ft · 41 sec

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South

    2069 ft · 51 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Adlai Stevenson Expressway

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 294 North: Wisconsin

    1.4 mi · 3 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 294 North: Wisconsin

    1694 ft · 41 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    4.8 mi · 6 min · Tri-State Tollway

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    11.7 mi · 15 min · Tri-State Tollway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward Touhy Avenue

    635 ft · 16 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Touhy Avenue

    2694 ft · 1 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on Touhy Avenue West

    688 ft · 17 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on Touhy Avenue West

    1799 ft · 44 sec

  16. 16

    Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue

    99 m · 7 sec · East Touhy Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn slight right

    103 m · 9 sec

  18. 18

    Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road

    1.7 mi · 3 min · South Des Plaines River Road

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Henry Avenue

    557 ft · 24 sec · Henry Avenue

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Henry Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Willow Springs 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
20 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
78.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
16.6 mi · 65%
South Des Plaines River Road
1.71 mi · 7%
I 294 North
1.68 mi · 7%
La Grange Road
1.58 mi · 6%
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
1.14 mi · 4%
I 55 South
0.71 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway

11.7 mi · 00h 15m

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 32m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.2 mi
20.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hillside
00h 16m from Willow Springs
Leave By
7:26 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Willow Springs 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 Willow Springs to Des Plaines?

The road trip is about 25.5 miles (41.1 km) and usually takes 00h 32m 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?

Hillside is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.7 miles from Willow Springs and 12.8 miles from Des Plaines.

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

The direct path is about 20.3 miles (32.6 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 7:26 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.39 one way or $6.79 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Willow Springs and Mostly Sunny near Des Plaines.

Stop Ideas Near Hillside

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

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

RAIL

La Grange Road

7 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

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

Chicago Union Station

22 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

Glenview station

23 mi away
1116 Depot St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Willow Springs and Des Plaines. Straight-line distance: 20.24 mi (32.58 km).

Willow Springs

#1 Willow Springs

Village in Illinois, United States of America

Population5,562
Coordinates41.7408700, -87.8603300
Altitude188
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: Hilton Street (-87.860334, 41.740868)
End: Henry Avenue (-87.883408, 42.033456)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 41 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 38m
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 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.9 gal
3.41 L · about $3.39
Round trip
$6.79
1.8 gal · 6.82 L
Estimated CO2
8 kg one way
Round trip: 16 kg / 35 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.39 $6.79
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.83 $7.66
Premium $4.65 $4.19 $8.38
Diesel $5.30 $4.77 $9.55

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 Willow Springs and Des Plaines. The current time is 06:48:20.

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.