Origin
Council Bluffs, IA
Afternoon in Council Bluffs on Saturday
Local time
12:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Council Bluffs, IA to Pleasantville, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 56m
Distance
154.7 mi
249 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$24
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 45m
★
6 AM
2h 56m
8 AM
3h 19m
10 AM
3h 4m
12 PM
3h 2m
3 PM
3h 5m
5 PM
3h 17m
8 PM
2h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Council Bluffs, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Pleasantville, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Pleasantville, IA covers 154.7 miles and takes about 2h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Broadway, West Kanesville Boulevard, I 35 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.19 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
77.4 miles from Council Bluffs, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 28m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Broadway | — | — |
| West Kanesville Boulevard | — | — |
| I 35 | — | — |
| I 35 South | — | — |
| IA 5 | — | — |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | — | — |
| IA 5 South | — | — |
| County Highway G40 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Broadway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Council Bluffs, IA and Pleasantville, IA.
1
Start on West Broadway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broadway
2
Continue on West Broadway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broadway
3
Continue on West Kanesville Boulevard
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
West Kanesville Boulevard
4
Take the ramp slight left
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
5
Merge slight left
114 mi
·
2 hr 2 min
6
Keep slight right to continue on I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 35 South: Kansas City
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 35 South: Kansas City
8
Merge slight left
3.8 mi
·
4 min
9
Take the exit slight right toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk
10
Continue on Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
11
Take the exit slight right toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
17 mi
·
20 min
·
IA 5 South: Carlisle
12
Turn left onto County Highway G40
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
County Highway G40
13
Continue on West Jasper Street
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Jasper Street
14
Turn left onto South Washington Street
95 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Washington Street
15
Arrive at your destination
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 77.4 miles from Council Bluffs, IA, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
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 34 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 77.4 miles or 1h 28m 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pleasantville, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Council Bluffs, 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 Council Bluffs, IA
This is one driving day of about 154.7 miles and 2h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Council Bluffs, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
77 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 77.4 miles from Council Bluffs, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.19 one way
$48.37 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
54 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $26.55 | $53.11 |
| premium | $4.89 | $29.77 | $59.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $34.16 | $68.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 54.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 46.4 | 0 | $16.24 | $7.43 |
| Efficient EV | 38.7 | 0 | $13.54 | $6.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 61.9 | 0 | $21.66 | $9.90 |
Gas CO2
54 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
Pleasantville, IA
Afternoon in Pleasantville on Saturday
Local time
12:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
3 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
2h 56m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
154.7 mi in 2h 56m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: West Broadway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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 Council Bluffs, IA to Pleasantville, IA is easy. At 2h 56m 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 Council Bluffs, IA to Pleasantville, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 56m. Total distance: 154.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Council Bluffs, IA to Pleasantville, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Pleasantville, IA before heading back.
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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