Origin
Cedar Falls, IA
Evening in Cedar Falls on Friday
Local time
8:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cedar Falls, IA to Fairfield, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 3m
Distance
157.1 mi
253 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$25
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 52m
★
6 AM
3h 3m
8 AM
3h 26m
10 AM
3h 11m
12 PM
3h 9m
3 PM
3h 12m
5 PM
3h 25m
8 PM
2h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cedar Falls, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Fairfield, IA
Daniel Dorfer
Trip Overview
The drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Fairfield, IA covers 157.1 miles and takes about 3h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, US 34, IA 27 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 119.9 miles on Avenue of the Saints. At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.56 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
78.6 miles from Cedar Falls, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 31m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 3m. Total distance: 157.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (21%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 3m drive with frequent turns across 157.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 119.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 157.1 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.4 miles (East 18th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Main Street
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 18th Street
At end of road, turn straight onto East 18th Street
Navigation decision point
8
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward IA 27 south, IA 58 south
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward IA 27 south, IA 58 south
5
4.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
IA 27
Turn left onto IA 27 toward US 20 East, IA 27 South: Dubuque, Cedar Rapids
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20 East, IA 27 South: Dubuque, Cedar...
6
17.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 119.9 mi | 2h 16m |
| US 34 | 19.4 mi | 22m |
| IA 27 | 12.8 mi | 15m |
| East Burlington Avenue | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| US 34 Business | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| US 218 Business | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East 18th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 119.9 mi, about 2h 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Falls, IA and Fairfield, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
52 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
2
Continue on Main Street
61 ft
·
1 sec
·
Main Street
3
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
104 ft
·
2 sec
·
Main Street
4
Continue on Main Street
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Main Street
5
Turn left onto West 18th Street
40 ft
·
3 sec
·
West 18th Street
6
At end of road, turn straight onto East 18th Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
East 18th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward IA 27 south, IA 58 south
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto IA 27; IA 58
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Turn left onto IA 27
13 mi
·
15 min
·
IA 27
Toward US 20 East, IA 27 South: Dubuque, Cedar Rapids
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
116 mi
·
2 hr 10 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 218 Business
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 218 Business
Exit 45
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
13
Merge onto US 34; IA 163
19 mi
·
22 min
·
US 34; IA 163
14
Take the exit onto US 34 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 34 Business
Exit 214
Toward US 34 Business West
15
Turn right onto US 34 Business
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East Burlington Avenue
16
Turn right onto North B Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
North B Street
17
Turn left onto East Briggs Avenue
415 ft
·
20 sec
·
East Briggs Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
East Briggs 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 78.6 miles from Cedar Falls, IA, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 119.9 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 35 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 78.6 miles or 1h 31m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fairfield, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cedar Falls, 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 Cedar Falls, IA
This is one driving day of about 157.1 miles and 3h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Cedar Falls, 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 119.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 78.6 mi from Cedar Falls, IA · 1h 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
79 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 78.6 miles from Cedar Falls, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Avenue of the Saints if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 119.9 miles.
Arriving in Fairfield, IA
The final approach into Fairfield, 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 Fairfield, IA.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.56 one way
$49.12 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
55 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $26.97 | $53.93 |
| premium | $4.89 | $30.23 | $60.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $34.69 | $69.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 47.1 | 0 | $16.50 | $7.54 |
| Efficient EV | 39.3 | 0 | $13.75 | $6.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 62.8 | 0 | $21.99 | $10.05 |
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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.
Destination
Fairfield, IA
Evening in Fairfield on Friday
Local time
8:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Sunny
SW 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 12:02PM CDT until April 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 11:30AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
29 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
3h 3m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Fairfield, IA covers 157.1 miles and takes about 3h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, US 34, IA 27. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 78.6 miles from Cedar Falls, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.56 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 157.1 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.4 miles (East 18th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Cedar Falls, IA to Fairfield, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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