Origin
Albia, IA
Afternoon in Albia on Saturday
Local time
2:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Albia, IA to Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
67.2 mi
108 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Albia, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Albia, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 67.2 miles and takes about 1h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South 2nd Street, Benton Avenue East, North Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.51 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South 2nd Street | — | — |
| Benton Avenue East | — | — |
| North Main Street | — | — |
| Highway 5 | — | — |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | — | — |
| US 69 North | — | — |
| Southridge Boulevard | — | — |
| Southeast 14th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
South 2nd Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Albia, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on the route
33 ft
·
4 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right onto South 2nd Street
171 ft
·
13 sec
·
South 2nd Street
3
Turn left onto Benton Avenue East
358 ft
·
9 sec
·
Benton Avenue East
4
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Main Street
5
Keep slight left
25 mi
·
37 min
6
Take the ramp left
11 mi
·
12 min
7
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
8
Continue on State Highway 5
19 mi
·
22 min
·
State Highway 5
9
Merge slight left onto Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
10
Take the exit slight right toward US 69 North: Des Moines
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 69 North: Des Moines
11
Turn straight onto Southridge Boulevard
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Southridge Boulevard
12
Continue on Southeast 14th Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Southeast 14th Street
13
Turn slight left onto Indianola Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Indianola Avenue
14
Turn right onto Southeast 6th Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast 6th Street
15
Continue on East 6th Street
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
East 6th Street
16
Turn right onto East Locust Street
492 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Locust Street
17
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
18
Turn left onto East University Avenue
98 ft
·
9 sec
·
East University Avenue
19
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.6 miles from Albia, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.51 one way
$21.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.54 | $23.07 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.93 | $25.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.84 | $29.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.06 | $3.23 |
| Efficient EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.88 | $2.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.9 | 0 | $9.41 | $4.30 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Des Moines, IA
Afternoon in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
2:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Altoona, IA
34 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 16m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
67.2 mi in 1h 16m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: South 2nd Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Albia, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 1h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Albia, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Full guide →Des Moines, capital of Iowa, is in the western region of the American Midwest. Des Moines is the largest city in Iowa and the annual site of the Iowa State Fair and numerous cultural festivals during warm weather months. History enthusiasts will find 110 historic sites in and around the city as part of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. The city appeals to travelers with an interest in the arts who marvel at the architecture of the State Capitol with its five domes, including the large main dome with its gleaming 23-karat gold surface. The city has a good art museum, a symphony that performs in the downtown Civic Center (along with opera, ballet, and other performing arts), and a big annual arts festival that draws visitors from across Iowa and beyond.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 67.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Albia, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Des Moines, IA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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