Skip to main content

Trip from Ankeny, IA to Lisbon, IA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 32m

Distance

124.9 mi

201 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 23m ★
6 AM
2h 33m
8 AM
2h 53m
10 AM
2h 40m
12 PM
2h 38m
3 PM
2h 41m
5 PM
2h 52m
8 PM
2h 27m

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

city in Polk County, Iowa, United States

Ankeny, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Lisbon, IA, IA

Lisbon, IA

Bob Jenkin

Trip Overview

The drive from Ankeny, IA to Lisbon, IA covers 124.9 miles and takes about 2h 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Southwest Walnut Street, West 1st Street, Northeast 94th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.53 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

62.4 miles from Ankeny, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 32m. Total distance: 124.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 32m drive with frequent turns across 124.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southwest Walnut 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 Ankeny, IA to Lisbon, IA is easy. At 2h 32m 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 Ankeny, IA to Lisbon, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Southwest Walnut Street
West 1st Street
Northeast 94th Avenue
Northeast Hubbell Road
Lincoln Highway
73rd Street
IA 1
Highway 1

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Southwest Walnut Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Lisbon, IA.

1

Start on Southwest 3rd Street

49 ft · 4 sec · Southwest 3rd Street
2

Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Southwest Walnut Street
3

At the end of the road, turn right onto West 1st Street

1.8 mi · 4 min · West 1st Street
4

Continue on Northeast 94th Avenue

8.5 mi · 13 min · Northeast 94th Avenue
5

Turn left onto Northeast Hubbell Road

28 mi · 32 min · Northeast Hubbell Road
6

Take the exit right

0.5 mi · 1 min
7

Merge slight left onto Lincoln Highway

37 mi · 42 min · Lincoln Highway
8

Continue on 73rd Street

46 mi · 53 min · 73rd Street
9

Take the exit slight right toward IA 1: Mount Vernon, Iowa City

0.3 mi · 46 sec · IA 1: Mount Vernon, Iowa City
10

Turn left onto State Highway 1

0.5 mi · 41 sec · State Highway 1
11

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Lincoln Highway

7 ft · Lincoln Highway
12

Exit the roundabout onto Lincoln Highway

0.9 mi · 1 min · Lincoln Highway
13

Continue on West Kirkwood Boulevard

1.0 mi · 1 min · West Kirkwood Boulevard
14

Turn left onto South Washington Street

0.2 mi · 34 sec · South Washington Street
15

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 62.4 miles from Ankeny, IA, or about 1h 16m 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 27 miles or 33m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 62.4 miles or 1h 16m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 5m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Ankeny, 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 Ankeny, IA

This is one driving day of about 124.9 miles and 2h 32m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Ankeny, 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 62.4 mi from Ankeny, IA · 1h 16m into the drive

city in Tama County, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tama, IA

62 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

Colfax, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Tama, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 62.4 miles from Ankeny, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lisbon, IA

The final approach into Lisbon, 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 Lisbon, 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

$19.53 one way

$39.05 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $21.44 $42.88
premium $4.89 $24.04 $48.07
diesel $5.61 $27.58 $55.15

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 43.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 37.5 0 $13.11 $6.00
Efficient EV 31.2 0 $10.93 $5.00
EV Truck/SUV 50 0 $17.49 $7.99

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Ankeny, IA

Afternoon in Ankeny on Thursday

Local time

2:34 PM

CDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lisbon, IA

Afternoon in Lisbon on Thursday

Local time

2:34 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°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

20 degrees cooler at arrival

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

Road read

2h 32m 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 Ankeny, IA to Lisbon, IA covers 124.9 miles and takes about 2h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southwest Walnut Street, West 1st Street, Northeast 94th Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 62.4 miles from Ankeny, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.53 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Ankeny, IA to Lisbon, IA is easy. At 2h 32m 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 Ankeny, IA to Lisbon, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ankeny, IA to Lisbon, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Ankeny, IA or browse trips ending in Lisbon, IA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.

Explore maps for Ankeny, IA or Lisbon, IA on MapSof.net.