The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Madrid, IA covers 127 miles and takes about 2h 34m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Lincoln Highway, 73rd Street, I 35 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 66.1 miles on Lincoln Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.86 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
63.5 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 16m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 34m. Total distance: 127 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 34m drive with frequent turns across 127 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lincoln Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 66.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in.
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 16 significant decision points across 127 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: at 2.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
2.1 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the exit toward IA 100
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward IA 100
6
2.4 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I-380 north, IA 27 north, IA 100 west: Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 north, IA 27 north, IA 100 west: W...
5
2.6 mi into trip|~5m in
Turn left toward I-380 south, IA 27 south, IA 100 west: Iowa City
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south, IA 100 west: I...
5
11.1 mi into trip|~15m in
Take the exit toward US 30 West, US 218 North: Tama, Marshalltown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 30 West, US 218 North: Tama, Marshall...
5
113.6 mi into trip|~2h 13m in
Take the exit toward IA 210: Huxley, Maxwell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 210: Huxley, Maxwell
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Madrid, IA, road signs point toward Marshalltown and Maxwell.
Marshalltown
11.1 mi in|~15m
Maxwell
113.6 mi in|~2h 13m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Lincoln Highway
66.1 mi
1h 16m
73rd Street
24.4 mi
28m
I 35
8.6 mi
9m
Collins Road Northeast
8.2 mi
9m
330th Street
5.6 mi
8m
State Highway 210
4.4 mi
6m
16th Avenue Southwest
2.4 mi
2m
East 6th Avenue
1.3 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Lincoln Highway
— 66.1 mi, about 1h 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Rapids, IA and Madrid, IA.
1
Start on Tiperary Drive Northeast
0.1 mi·32 sec·Tiperary Drive Northeast
2
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft·13 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
3
Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast
1.2 mi·2 min·32nd Street Northeast
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·30 sec
5
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
0.5 mi·40 sec·Avenue of the Saints
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward IA 100
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·20 sec
Toward I-380 north, IA 27 north, IA 100 west: Waterloo
8
Turn left
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south, IA 100 west: Iowa City
9
Merge onto IA 100
8.2 mi·9 min·Collins Road Northeast
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward US 30 West, US 218 North: Tama, Marshalltown
11
Merge onto US 30; US 218
2.4 mi·2 min·16th Avenue Southwest
12
Continue on US 30; US 218
24 mi·28 min·73rd Street
13
Continue on US 30
66 mi·1 hr 16 min·Lincoln Highway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
15
Merge onto I 35
8.6 mi·9 min·I 35
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
Toward IA 210: Huxley, Maxwell
17
Turn right onto IA 210
4.4 mi·6 min·State Highway 210
18
Continue on IA 210
0.8 mi·1 min·330th Street
19
Continue on IA 210
1.3 mi·1 min·East 6th Avenue
20
Continue on IA 210
4.8 mi·7 min·330th Street
21
Continue on IA 210
1.2 mi·1 min·East North Street
22
Turn left onto IA 17; IA 210
397 ft·13 sec·North Kennedy Avenue
23
Turn right onto IA 210
0.4 mi·34 sec·East 1st Street
24
Arrive at destination
IA 210
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 63.5 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, or about 1h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 66.1 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 28 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 63.5 miles or 1h 16m 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 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Madrid, 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 127 miles and 2h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 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 Lincoln Highway for about 66.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 63.5 mi from Cedar Rapids, IA
· 1h 16m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.1
0
$13.33
$6.10
Efficient EV
31.8
0
$11.11
$5.08
EV Truck/SUV
50.8
0
$17.78
$8.13
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 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
Cedar Rapids, IA
Late night
in Cedar Rapids on Saturday
Local time
2:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Madrid, IA
Late night
in Madrid on Saturday
Local time
2:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
24 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 34m 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 Cedar Rapids, IA to Madrid, IA covers 127 miles and takes about 2h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lincoln Highway, 73rd Street, I 35. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 63.5 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 $19.86 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 127 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: at 2.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Madrid, IA, road signs point toward Marshalltown and Maxwell.
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.
