The drive from Atlantic, IA to Marion, IA covers 204 miles and takes about 4h behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 6, Lincoln Highway, Northeast Hubbell Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 62 miles on US 6.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
102 miles from Atlantic, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 58m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h. Total distance: 204 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Atlantic, IA to Marion, IA covers 204 miles and takes about 4h, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 6 is the longest continuous segment at about 62 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Chestnut Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 204 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 72 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 86.4 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Chestnut Street
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
Navigation decision point
9
72 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123B
Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, K...
6
86.4 mi into trip|~1h 39m in|I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
90.9 mi into trip|~1h 44m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
5
190.3 mi into trip|~3h 41m in
Take the exit toward IA 100 East: Cedar Rapids, Marion
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 100 East: Cedar Rapids, Marion
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Atlantic, IA and Marion, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City and Bondurant.
Minneapolis
72 mi in|~1h 22m|via I 80
Kansas City
72 mi in|~1h 22m|via I 80
Bondurant
90.9 mi in|~1h 44m|via US 65
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 6
62 mi
1h 7m
Lincoln Highway
37 mi
42m
Northeast Hubbell Road
33.5 mi
39m
73rd Street
26.8 mi
30m
I 80
18.9 mi
21m
IA 100
9.4 mi
11m
650th Street
6.4 mi
8m
East 7th Street
3.5 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
US 6
— 62 mi, about 1h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atlantic, IA and Marion, IA.
1
Start on this road
227 ft·21 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
266 ft·9 sec·Chestnut Street
3
Turn right onto US 6; IA 83
3.5 mi·6 min·East 7th Street
4
Turn left onto US 6; US 71
6.4 mi·8 min·650th Street
5
Take the exit onto US 6
62 mi·1 hr 7 min·US 6
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
14 mi·16 min·I 80
Exit 123BToward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
4.5 mi·5 min·I 80
Use the slight left lane.
8
Take the exit onto US 65
0.5 mi·1 min·US 65
Exit 142Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, BondurantUse the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·Northeast Hubbell Avenue
10
Continue on US 65; IA 330
33 mi·39 min·Northeast Hubbell Road
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
12
Merge onto US 30
37 mi·42 min·Lincoln Highway
13
Continue on US 30
27 mi·30 min·73rd Street
14
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Toward IA 100 East: Cedar Rapids, Marion
15
Continue on IA 100
9.4 mi·11 min·IA 100
16
Keep slight right at fork onto IA 100
1.8 mi·2 min·Collins Road Northeast
17
Turn left onto 1st Avenue East
0.1 mi·22 sec·1st Avenue East
18
Continue on Marion Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·Marion Boulevard
19
Continue on US 151 Business
0.3 mi·45 sec·7th Avenue
20
Turn left onto 6th Street
316 ft·17 sec·6th Street
21
Turn right onto 8th Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·8th Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
8th Avenue
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 102 miles from Atlantic, IA, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62 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 45 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 102 miles or 1h 58m 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 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Marion, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Atlantic, 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 Atlantic, IA
This is one driving day of about 204 miles and 4h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Atlantic, 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 US 6 for about 62 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 102 mi from Atlantic, IA
· 1h 58m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.2
0
$21.42
$9.79
Efficient EV
51
0
$17.85
$8.16
EV Truck/SUV
81.6
1
$28.56
$13.06
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 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
Atlantic, IA
Late night
in Atlantic on Saturday
Local time
4:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Marion, IA
Late night
in Marion on Saturday
Local time
4:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Colfax, IA
102 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Atlantic, IA to Marion, IA covers 204 miles and takes about 4h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 6, Lincoln Highway, Northeast Hubbell Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 102 miles from Atlantic, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $31.89 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 204 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 72 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 86.4 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Atlantic, IA and Marion, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City and Bondurant.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
