Day trip from Chicago to Madison
Madison lies 198 km (123 mi) north-west of Chicago, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
At 198 km (123 mi) apart, Madison is a realistic day trip from Chicago: about 3 h 13 min each way by road.
| Chicago | Madison | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | United States |
| Population | 2.7 million | 280,305 |
| Elevation | 180 m (591 ft) | 272 m (892 ft) |
| Time now | UTC-5 (America/Chicago) | UTC-5 (America/Chicago) |
| Postal codes | 60601–60701 | 53701–53794 |
What to see in Madison
| Sight | Visitors a year | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Madison Children's Museum | 150,000 | — |
The busiest is Madison Children's Museum at 150,000 visitors. Figures are the latest each site has published, so they are not all for the same year.
Where to book tours and tickets in Madison
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 Madison
Live rooms and prices for Madison are in the search below.
Book a hotel in Madison
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 Madison from Chicago?
198 km (123 mi) in a straight line, north-west of Chicago; by road roughly 241 km (150 mi).
How long does it take to get from Chicago to Madison by road?
About 3 h 13 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Chicago and Madison?
No, both are on America/Chicago at the moment.
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 13 September 2026. Hotel 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.