Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
22.7 mi
36 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Madrid, IA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Ames, IA to Madrid, IA covers 22.7 miles and takes about 34m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on S Avenue, US 30, 230th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.1 miles on S Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.55 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 22.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (33%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
The drive from Ames, IA to Madrid, IA covers 22.7 miles and takes about 34m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near I 35 Business; US 69 / Grand Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 34m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (I 35 Business; US 69 / Grand Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (South 4th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Navigation decision point.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto I 35 Business; US 69 / Grand Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto South 4th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward US 30 west: Boone
Navigation decision point
Merge onto US 30
Merge point - match speed before joining
Turn left onto IA 17 / S Avenue
Navigation decision point
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| S Avenue | 10.1 mi | 14m |
| US 30 | 7.5 mi | 8m |
| 230th Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| University Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South 4th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East 1st Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Grand Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Ames, IA and Madrid, IA.
Start on I 35 Business
Turn left onto I 35 Business; US 69
Continue on South Grand Avenue
Turn right onto South 4th Street
Turn left onto University Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 30
Turn left onto 230th Street
Turn left onto IA 17
Turn right onto IA 210
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$3.55 one way
$7.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.90 | $7.79 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.37 | $8.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Ames on Saturday
Local time
2:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Madrid on Saturday
Local time
2:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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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