Origin
Conrad, IA
Afternoon in Conrad on Friday
Local time
2:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Conrad, IA to Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
66 mi
106 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Conrad, IA
cottonbro studio
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Conrad, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 66 miles and takes about 1h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Center Street, 330th Street, Sanford Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.32 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 66 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m 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 7m drive with frequent turns across 66 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Center Street 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 Conrad, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 1h 7m 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 Conrad, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Center Street | — | — |
| 330th Street | — | — |
| Sanford Avenue | — | — |
| 160th Street | — | — |
| North Main Street | — | — |
| Marsh Avenue | — | — |
| I 80 west | — | — |
| I 235 West | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Center Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Conrad, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on North Main Street
75 ft
·
4 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto West Center Street
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
West Center Street
3
Continue on 330th Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
330th Street
4
Turn left onto Sanford Avenue
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Sanford Avenue
5
Turn right onto 160th Street
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
160th Street
6
Keep slight left to continue on North Main Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
7
Continue on Marsh Avenue
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Marsh Avenue
8
Turn right
36 mi
·
42 min
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
I 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines
10
Take the exit slight left toward I 235 West: Des Moines
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 235 West: Des Moines
11
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
12
Take the exit slight right toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
13
Keep slight right to continue on East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
14
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
15
Turn left onto East University Avenue
98 ft
·
9 sec
·
East University Avenue
16
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33 mi from Conrad, IA · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33 miles from Conrad, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
The final approach into Des Moines, 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
$10.32 one way
$20.64 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.33 | $22.66 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.70 | $25.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.57 | $29.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.93 | $3.17 |
| Efficient EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.77 | $2.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.4 | 0 | $9.24 | $4.22 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Des Moines, IA
Afternoon in Des Moines on Friday
Local time
2:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Baxter, IA
33 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
4 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 7m 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 Conrad, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 66 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Center Street, 330th Street, Sanford Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33 miles from Conrad, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.32 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 Conrad, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 1h 7m 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 Conrad, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Conrad, IA to Des Moines, 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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