Origin
Albia, IA
Morning in Albia on Saturday
Local time
6:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Albia, IA to Urbandale, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
72.3 mi
116 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 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Albia, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Urbandale, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Albia, IA to Urbandale, IA covers 72.3 miles and takes about 1h 23m 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 turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.30 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 72.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m 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
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 23m drive with frequent turns across 72.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South 2nd Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 Urbandale, IA is easy. At 1h 23m 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 Urbandale, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South 2nd Street | — | — |
| Benton Avenue East | — | — |
| North Main Street | — | — |
| Highway 5 | — | — |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | — | — |
| IA 28 | — | — |
| Grand Avenue | — | — |
| 8th 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 Urbandale, 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
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
10
Take the exit slight right toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
11
Turn right
5.0 mi
·
8 min
12
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Grand Avenue
13
Turn right onto 8th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
8th Street
14
Continue on 73rd Street
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
73rd Street
15
Continue on 72nd Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
72nd Street
16
Turn right onto Roseland Drive
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Roseland Drive
17
Turn left onto 70th Street
348 ft
·
11 sec
·
70th Street
18
Turn right onto Maryland Drive
13 ft
·
1 sec
·
Maryland Drive
19
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 36.1 mi from Albia, IA · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.1 miles from Albia, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Urbandale, IA
The final approach into Urbandale, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.30 one way
$22.61 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.41 | $24.82 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.91 | $27.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.96 | $31.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.59 | $3.47 |
| Efficient EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.33 | $2.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.9 | 0 | $10.12 | $4.63 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Urbandale, IA
Morning in Urbandale on Saturday
Local time
6:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Altoona, IA
36 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 23m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Albia, IA to Urbandale, IA covers 72.3 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South 2nd Street, Benton Avenue East, North Main Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.1 miles from Albia, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.30 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Albia, IA to Urbandale, IA is easy. At 1h 23m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Albia, IA to Urbandale, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Albia, IA to Urbandale, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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