Trip from Cedar Rapids, IA to Akron, IA

Drive Time

5h 50m

Distance

292.1 mi

470 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$44

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Akron, IA covers 292.1 miles and takes about 5h 50m 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, Highway 20, State Highway 12 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 208.6 miles on Avenue of the Saints. At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.37 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

146.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 47m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 50m drive with frequent turns across 292.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 23 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 208.6 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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 49.9 miles in near US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 292.1 miles you will encounter 12 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: at 49.9 miles (US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 262.5 miles (South Virginia Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 262.8 miles (I 29): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

49.9 mi into trip | ~56m in | US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints

Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none lane.

262.5 mi into trip | ~5h 7m in | South Virginia Street

Turn left onto South Virginia Street toward I 29

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 29

262.8 mi into trip | ~5h 8m in | I 29

Merge onto I 29

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none lane.

265.8 mi into trip | ~5h 11m in

Take the exit toward IA 12 North: Riverside Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward IA 12 North: Riverside Boulevard

292.1 mi into trip | ~5h 50m in | North 2nd Street

Turn left onto North 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Avenue of the Saints	208.6 mi	3h 57m
Highway 20	44.1 mi	56m
State Highway 12	16.2 mi	22m
160th Street	6.4 mi	7m
State Highway 3	4.7 mi	6m
I 29	3 mi	3m
Sioux River Road	2.8 mi	3m
Riverside Boulevard	2 mi	4m

Longest stretch: Avenue of the Saints — 208.6 mi, about 3h 57m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Rapids, IA and Akron, IA.

Start on Tiperary Drive Northeast

0.1 mi · 32 sec · Tiperary Drive Northeast

Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast

184 ft · 13 sec · Crystal Drive Northeast

Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast

1.2 mi · 2 min · 32nd Street Northeast

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Merge onto I 380; IA 27

48 mi · 52 min · Avenue of the Saints

Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27

160 mi · 3 hr 4 min · Avenue of the Saints

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 20

6.4 mi · 7 min · 160th Street

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 20

1.9 mi · 2 min · United States Highway 20

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 20

44 mi · 56 min · Highway 20

Use the none lane.

Turn left onto South Virginia Street

343 ft · 16 sec · South Virginia Street

Toward I 29 Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 39 sec

Toward I 29 North

Merge onto I 29

3.0 mi · 3 min · I 29

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Toward IA 12 North: Riverside Boulevard Use the slight right lane.

Turn right onto IA 12

2.0 mi · 4 min · Riverside Boulevard

Use the none lane.

Continue on IA 12

2.8 mi · 3 min · Sioux River Road

Continue on IA 12

15 mi · 21 min · State Highway 12

Continue on IA 12

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Portland Street

Continue on IA 12

0.3 mi · 23 sec · State Highway 12

Continue on IA 3; IA 12

4.7 mi · 6 min · State Highway 3

Continue on IA 12

0.4 mi · 59 sec · State Highway 12

Turn right onto Reed Street

277 ft · 17 sec · Reed Street

Turn left onto North 2nd Street

54 ft · 2 sec · North 2nd Street

Arrive at destination

North 2nd Street

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 146.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, or about 2h 47m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 208.6 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 80 miles or 1h 31m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 146.1 miles or 2h 47m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 38m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Cedar Rapids, 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 Rapids, IA

This is one driving day of about 292.1 miles and 5h 50m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Cedar Rapids, 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 208.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 146.1 mi from Cedar Rapids, IA · 2h 47m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ames, IA

146 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

Waterloo, IA

Fuel and coffee

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

Ames, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 146.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Avenue of the Saints if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 208.6 miles.

Arriving in Akron, IA

The final approach into Akron, 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 Akron, 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

$44.37 one way

$88.73 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 102 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$48.91	$97.82
premium	$4.80	$55.14	$110.29
diesel	$5.64	$64.89	$129.79

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$44

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$69–$94

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 102.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	87.6	1	$30.67	$14.02
Efficient EV	73	0	$25.56	$11.68
EV Truck/SUV	116.8	1	$40.89	$18.69

Gas CO2

102 kg

EV CO2

34 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 2 days ago

Origin

Cedar Rapids, IA

Afternoon in Cedar Rapids on Sunday

Local time

1:33 PM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Akron, IA

Afternoon in Akron on Sunday

Local time

1:33 PM

CDT

Current temp

41°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

2 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

5h 50m 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 Cedar Rapids, IA to Akron, IA covers 292.1 miles and takes about 5h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, Highway 20, State Highway 12. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 146.1 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $44.37 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.