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Trip from Ankeny, IA to Nashua, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 48m

Distance

134.5 mi

216 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 33 min
4 AM
2h 38m ★
6 AM
2h 49m
8 AM
3h 11m
10 AM
2h 56m
12 PM
2h 54m
3 PM
2h 58m
5 PM
3h 10m
8 PM
2h 42m

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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city in Polk County, Iowa, United States

Ankeny, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Nashua, IA, IA

Nashua, IA

Andhika Indra Pratama

Trip Overview

The drive from Ankeny, IA to Nashua, IA covers 134.5 miles and takes about 2h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35, State Highway 3, 210th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 72.4 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.03 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

67.3 miles from Ankeny, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 15m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35 72.4 mi 1h 18m
State Highway 3 18.1 mi 24m
210th Street 15.7 mi 21m
140th Street 6.6 mi 9m
Avenue of the Saints 6.6 mi 7m
Spring Avenue 4 mi 5m
Central Avenue West 2.1 mi 4m
State Highway 188 1.8 mi 2m
Longest stretch: I 35 — 72.4 mi, about 1h 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Southwest 3rd Street

48 ft · 4 sec · Southwest 3rd Street
2

Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Southwest Walnut Street
3

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

1.5 mi · 3 min · West 1st Street
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 41 sec
5

Merge onto I 35

72 mi · 1 hr 18 min · I 35
6

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward IA 3: Hampton, Clarion
7

Turn right onto IA 3

8.9 mi · 12 min · State Highway 3
8

Continue on IA 3

2.1 mi · 4 min · Central Avenue West
9

Continue on IA 3

8.2 mi · 11 min · State Highway 3
10

Continue on IA 3

1.8 mi · 2 min · 210th Street
11

Continue on IA 3

1.7 mi · 2 min · South Street
12

Continue on IA 3

7.4 mi · 10 min · 210th Street
13

Continue on IA 3; IA 14

1.0 mi · 1 min · State Highway 3
14

Continue on IA 3

6.5 mi · 8 min · 210th Street
15

Turn left onto IA 188

1.8 mi · 2 min · State Highway 188
16

Continue on IA 188

1.5 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
17

Continue on IA 188

4.0 mi · 5 min · Spring Avenue
18

Turn right onto IA 188

6.6 mi · 9 min · 140th Street
19

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 57 sec
20

Merge onto US 218; IA 27

6.6 mi · 7 min · Avenue of the Saints
21

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 57 sec
22

Turn right onto IA 346

0.7 mi · 1 min · Sample Street
23

Turn right onto Main Street

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Main Street
24

Arrive at destination

Main Street

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 67.3 miles from Ankeny, IA, or about 1h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.4 miles.

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 30 miles or 35m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 67.3 miles or 1h 15m 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 14m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nashua, 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 134.5 miles and 2h 48m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 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.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 72.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city located in Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Oakland, IA

67 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

Ames, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Oakland, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 67.3 miles from Ankeny, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 35 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 72.4 miles.

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 126.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Southwest Walnut Street

Turn right onto Southwest Walnut Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | West 1st Street

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

Navigation decision point

5
74.4 mi into trip | ~1h 23m in

Take the exit toward IA 3: Hampton, Clarion

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward IA 3: Hampton, Clarion
4
119.7 mi into trip | ~2h 27m in | IA 188 / 140th Street

Turn right onto IA 188 / 140th Street

Navigation decision point

4
126.3 mi into trip | ~2h 37m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$21.03 one way

$42.06 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 47 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $23.09 $46.17
premium $4.89 $25.88 $51.77
diesel $5.61 $29.70 $59.39

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 47.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 40.4 0 $14.12 $6.46
Efficient EV 33.6 0 $11.77 $5.38
EV Truck/SUV 53.8 0 $18.83 $8.61

Gas CO2

47 kg

EV CO2

16 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 18, 2026

Origin

Ankeny, IA

Afternoon in Ankeny on Saturday

Local time

3:55 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Sunny

WNW 13 to 21 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Nashua, IA

Afternoon in Nashua on Saturday

Local time

3:55 PM

CDT

Current temp

70°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

17 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

2h 48m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

134.5 mi in 2h 48m, mostly highway — 72.4 mi of that is on I 35.

69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.4 mi on I 35.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and State Highway 3. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Southwest Walnut Street.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 48m drive. You will face about 12 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 (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 74.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Ankeny, IA to Nashua, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Clarion along the way.

Clarion

74.4 mi in | ~1h 23m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 48m. Total distance: 134.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (69%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 72.4 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 74.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Nashua, IA before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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