Origin
Cedar Rapids, IA
Morning in Cedar Rapids on Friday
Local time
8:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cedar Rapids, IA to Oelwein, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
52.6 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oelwein, IA
Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto
Trip Overview
The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Oelwein, IA covers 52.6 miles and takes about 1h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Crystal Drive Northeast, 32nd Street Northeast, Avenue of the Saints for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 52.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 10m drive with frequent turns across 52.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Crystal Drive Northeast 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Oelwein, IA is easy. At 1h 10m 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 Cedar Rapids, IA to Oelwein, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal Drive Northeast | — | — |
| 32nd Street Northeast | — | — |
| Avenue of the Saints | — | — |
| IA 150 | — | — |
| 31st Avenue | — | — |
| Jamestown Avenue | — | — |
| 3rd Avenue Southeast | — | — |
| 1st Street East | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Crystal Drive Northeast
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Rapids, IA and Oelwein, 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 right
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
5
Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
6
Take the exit slight right toward IA 150: Independence, Vinton
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
IA 150: Independence, Vinton
7
Turn right onto 31st Avenue
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
31st Avenue
8
Continue on Jamestown Avenue
10 mi
·
14 min
·
Jamestown Avenue
9
Continue on 3rd Avenue Southeast
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
3rd Avenue Southeast
10
Turn right onto 1st Street East
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
1st Street East
11
Turn left onto 5th Avenue Northeast
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Avenue Northeast
12
Continue on Jamestown Avenue
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Jamestown Avenue
13
Continue on Jackson Avenue
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Jackson Avenue
14
Continue on Main Street South
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street South
15
Continue on Jackson Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Jackson Avenue
16
Continue on Palace Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Palace Road
17
Continue on Rock Island Road
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Rock Island Road
18
Turn left onto 10th Street Southeast
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
10th Street Southeast
19
Turn right onto South Frederick Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Frederick Avenue
20
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.3 mi from Cedar Rapids, IA · 35m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.3 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Oelwein, IA
The final approach into Oelwein, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.22 one way
$16.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.03 | $18.06 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.12 | $20.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.61 | $23.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.52 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.36 | $3.37 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Oelwein, IA
Morning in Oelwein on Friday
Local time
8:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Urbana, IA
26 mi in
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
17 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 10m 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 Oelwein, IA covers 52.6 miles and takes about 1h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Crystal Drive Northeast, 32nd Street Northeast, Avenue of the Saints. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.3 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 $8.22 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 Cedar Rapids, IA to Oelwein, IA is easy. At 1h 10m 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 Cedar Rapids, IA to Oelwein, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Cedar Rapids, IA to Oelwein, 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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