Trip from Asbury, IA to Iowa City, IA

Drive Time

1h 36m

Distance

85 mi

137 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 22 min
4 AM
1h 29m ★
6 AM
1h 36m
8 AM
1h 51m
10 AM
1h 42m
12 PM
1h 40m
3 PM
1h 42m
5 PM
1h 50m
8 PM
1h 32m

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

Downtown Iowa City, IA, IA

Iowa City, IA

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Asbury, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 85 miles and takes about 1h 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Northwest Arterial, Dodge Street, CR Y21 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.91 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

0 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

42.5 miles from Asbury, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 48m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 36m drive with frequent turns across 85 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.
Northwest Arterial 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.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Asbury, IA to Iowa City, IA is easy. At 1h 36m 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 Asbury, IA to Iowa City, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Northwest Arterial Unavailable Refreshing
Dodge Street Unavailable Refreshing
CR Y21 Unavailable Refreshing
Sundown Road Unavailable Refreshing
Highway 1 Unavailable Refreshing
1st Avenue North Unavailable Refreshing
North Market Street Unavailable Refreshing
North Dodge Street Unavailable Refreshing

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

Longest stretch: Northwest Arterial — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Asbury, IA and Iowa City, IA.

1

Start on Asbury Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Asbury Road
2

Turn right onto Northwest Arterial

1.9 mi · 2 min · Northwest Arterial
3

Turn right onto Dodge Street

7.2 mi · 9 min · Dodge Street
4

Take the exit slight right toward CR Y21: Peosta, Northeast Iowa Community College

0.4 mi · 1 min · CR Y21: Peosta, Northeast Iowa Community College
5

Turn left onto Sundown Road

8.3 mi · 14 min · Sundown Road
6

Turn right

34 mi · 38 min
7

Take the exit slight right

0.4 mi · 1 min
8

Turn left onto State Highway 1

10 mi · 13 min · State Highway 1
9

Continue on 1st Avenue North

1.5 mi · 2 min · 1st Avenue North
10

Continue on State Highway 1

0.1 mi · 20 sec · State Highway 1
11

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward State Highway 1

121 ft · 6 sec · State Highway 1
12

Exit the roundabout onto State Highway 1

5.3 mi · 7 min · State Highway 1
13

Continue on Highway 1 Northeast

3.2 mi · 4 min · Highway 1 Northeast
14

Continue on North Market Street

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Market Street
15

Continue on Highway 1 Northeast

7.5 mi · 10 min · Highway 1 Northeast
16

Continue on North Dodge Street

2.6 mi · 5 min · North Dodge Street
17

Turn right onto Church Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · Church Street
18

Turn left onto North Gilbert Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Gilbert Street
19

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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 42.5 miles from Asbury, IA, or about 48m 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 30m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 42.5 miles or 48m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 21m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Asbury, 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 Asbury, IA

This is one driving day of about 85 miles and 1h 36m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Asbury, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 42.5 mi from Asbury, IA · 48m into the drive

Downtown Marion, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Marion, IA

43 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.

Popular next leg

Marion, IA to Iowa City, IA

33.5 mi · 47m

Pacing Suggestions

Cedar Rapids, IA

Fuel and coffee

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

Marion, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 42.5 miles from Asbury, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Iowa City, IA

The final approach into Iowa City, 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 Iowa City, 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

$12.91 one way

$25.82 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 30 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $14.23 $28.46
premium $4.80 $16.05 $32.09
diesel $5.64 $18.88 $37.77

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 29.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 25.5 0 $8.92 $4.08
Efficient EV 21.3 0 $7.44 $3.40
EV Truck/SUV 34 0 $11.90 $5.44

Gas CO2

30 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (67% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Asbury, IA

Afternoon in Asbury on Monday

Local time

12:32 PM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Iowa City, IA

Afternoon in Iowa City on Monday

Local time

12:32 PM

CDT

Current temp

45°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

43°F

Marion, IA

43 mi in

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

2 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

1h 36m 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 Asbury, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 85 miles and takes about 1h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Northwest Arterial, Dodge Street, CR Y21. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 42.5 miles from Asbury, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.91 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 Asbury, IA to Iowa City, IA is easy. At 1h 36m 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 Asbury, IA to Iowa City, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Asbury, IA to Iowa City, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Iowa City, IA to Asbury, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

84.8 mi 1h 57m

Explore more options from Asbury, IA or browse trips ending in Iowa City, IA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.

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