Driving from Ottawa to Chicago
Chicago lies 1,039 km (646 mi) west of Ottawa, -1 h on the clock. What the numbers say about getting there.
Driving takes about 14 h 5 min without stops, over roughly 1,268 km (788 mi) of road; add breaks, fuel and any border.
| Ottawa | Chicago | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Canada | United States |
| Population | 1 million | 2.7 million |
| Elevation | 71 m (233 ft) | 180 m (591 ft) |
| Time now | UTC-4 (America/Toronto) | UTC-5 (America/Chicago) |
Clocks in Chicago are 1 h behind Ottawa right now, so a 14 h 5 min journey lands only 13 h 5 min later by the destination clock.
What changes when you arrive in Chicago
Crossing from Canada into United States: money changes from the Dollar to the Dollar (USD); the dialling code becomes +1; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q533806.
Where to book car hire from Ottawa to Chicago
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Chicago
Our booking partner lists 1,320+ places to stay in Chicago (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 651 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (290), and 15 are five-star. Across 244 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.5 out of 10. Guests have left 312,247 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Chicago
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Chicago from Ottawa?
1,039 km (646 mi) in a straight line, west of Ottawa; by road roughly 1,268 km (788 mi).
How long does it take to get from Ottawa to Chicago by car?
About 14 h 5 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Ottawa and Chicago?
Chicago is 1 h behind at the moment (America/Chicago against America/Toronto).
What currency do I need in Chicago?
The Dollar (USD).
Where can I stay in Chicago?
Our booking partner lists 1,320+ places to stay in Chicago, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.