Trip from Alton, IA to Waterloo, IA

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

3h 39m

Distance

226.5 mi

364 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$35

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min

4 AM

3h 27m ★

6 AM

3h 40m

8 AM

4h 5m

10 AM

3h 49m

12 PM

3h 46m

3 PM

3h 50m

5 PM

4h 4m

8 PM

3h 32m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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human settlement in Sioux County, Iowa, United States of America

Alton, IA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States

Waterloo, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Alton, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 226.5 miles and takes about 3h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on West 10th Street, 3rd Avenue, Division Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $35.41 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

113.2 miles from Alton, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 49m into the drive .

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Drive Character

Expect a 3h 39m drive with frequent turns across 226.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

West 10th 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 3h 39m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Alton, IA to Waterloo, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
West 10th Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
3rd Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Division Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Highway 10	Unavailable	Refreshing
460th Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Kiwi Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
County Road L14	Unavailable	Refreshing
Highway 140	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: West 10th Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Alton, IA and Waterloo, IA.

Start on the route

112 ft · 13 sec · the route

Turn left onto West 10th Street

157 ft · 9 sec · West 10th Street

Turn right onto 3rd Avenue

0.3 mi · 43 sec · 3rd Avenue

Turn left onto Division Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · Division Street

At the end of the road, turn right onto State Highway 10

0.3 mi · 22 sec · State Highway 10

Continue on 460th Street

1.8 mi · 2 min · 460th Street

Turn right onto Kiwi Avenue

5.0 mi · 6 min · Kiwi Avenue

Continue on County Road L14

7.0 mi · 9 min · County Road L14

Continue on State Highway 140

15 mi · 20 min · State Highway 140

Turn left onto 320th Street

2.0 mi · 2 min · 320th Street

Turn right onto Shamrock Avenue

2.0 mi · 2 min · Shamrock Avenue

Continue on Lee Avenue

5.4 mi · 7 min · Lee Avenue

Turn left onto Highway 20

19 mi · 22 min · Highway 20

Continue on United States Highway 20

8.3 mi · 10 min · United States Highway 20

Continue on 220th Street

155 mi · 2 hr 58 min · 220th Street

Take the exit slight right toward US 63: Sergeant Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · US 63: Sergeant Road

Turn slight right

121 ft · 6 sec

Turn straight onto Sergeant Road

3.8 mi · 5 min · Sergeant Road

Turn right onto University Avenue

387 ft · 9 sec · University Avenue

Turn straight

0.3 mi · 45 sec

Turn right

0.1 mi · 10 sec

Continue on Washington Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Washington Street

Turn right onto West 4th Street

75 ft · 2 sec · West 4th Street

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 113.2 miles from Alton, IA, or about 1h 49m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 17m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 113.2 miles or 1h 49m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waterloo, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Alton, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Alton, IA

This is one driving day of about 226.5 miles and 3h 39m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Alton, IA.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 113.2 mi from Alton, IA · 1h 49m into the drive

city in Story County, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ames, IA

113 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

Denison, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ames, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 113.2 miles from Alton, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Waterloo, IA

The final approach into Waterloo, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Waterloo, IA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$35.41 one way

$70.82 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 79 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$38.88	$77.76
premium	$4.89	$43.59	$87.18
diesel	$5.61	$50.01	$100.02

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$35

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$60–$85

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 79.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	68	0	$23.78	$10.87
Efficient EV	56.6	0	$19.82	$9.06
EV Truck/SUV	90.6	1	$31.71	$14.50

Gas CO2

79 kg

EV CO2

27 kg (66% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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.

Forecast data refreshed 1 hour from now

Origin

Alton, IA

Morning in Alton on Wednesday

Local time

7:16 AM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Waterloo, IA

Morning in Waterloo on Wednesday

Local time

7:16 AM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

21 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

3h 39m 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 Alton, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 226.5 miles and takes about 3h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are West 10th Street, 3rd Avenue, Division Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 113.2 miles from Alton, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $35.41 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

This is a straightforward 3h 39m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Alton, IA to Waterloo, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Alton, IA to Waterloo, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.