Origin
Dallas Center, IA
Late night in Dallas Center on Saturday
Local time
4:44 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dallas Center, IA to Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
25.5 mi
41 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dallas Center, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to get from Dallas Center to Des Moines, this 26.2-mile trek is a straightforward journey through the heart of the Iowa Midwest. You can expect to spend about 32 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, it is an incredibly cost-effective route for a quick commute or a change of scenery. Since there are no required stops along the way, you have the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows. Because both towns are located within the same state and region, you will experience a consistent rural-to-urban transition throughout the drive.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 25.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged rather than a monotonous interstate haul. You will navigate a series of surface roads, including 13th Street, R Avenue, and the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, which make up the entirety of your 0% highway-share journey. Because the longest uninterrupted stretch on 13th Street is essentially negligible, you should stay alert for frequent turns and intersection changes. This route avoids high-speed freeways, opting instead for a more grounded, local pace that connects the quiet atmosphere of Dallas Center to the busier pulse of Des Moines. It is a technical drive that rewards drivers who prefer staying off the major interstates.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 6 is the longest continuous segment at about 9.4 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,071 ft
863 ft
Total Climb
183 ft
Total Descent
382 ft
Highest Point
1,071 ft
Elevation Range
209 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 6 and John MacVicar Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR R16 / 13th Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 25.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR R16 / 13th Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR R16 / 13th Street
Turn sharp left onto CR R16 / 13th Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
8
14.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
6
15.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
15.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
Ramp 72 I
Take the exit onto Ramp 72 I toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 72A
Toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
8
24.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward East Village, East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Pennsylva...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 6 | 9.4 mi | 14m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 8.4 mi | 10m |
| R Avenue | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| I 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 13th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Ramp 72 I | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| I 35 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 6
— 9.4 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dallas Center, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on Walnut Street
32 ft
·
10 sec
·
Walnut Street
2
Turn sharp left onto CR R16
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
13th Street
3
Continue on CR R16
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
R Avenue
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 6
9.4 mi
·
14 min
·
US 6
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 80; I 35
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80; I 35
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto Ramp 72 I
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Ramp 72 I
Exit 72A
Toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 235
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 8B
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
12
Turn left onto East University Avenue
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.99 one way
$7.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.38 | $8.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.91 | $9.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.63 | $11.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.68 | $1.22 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Des Moines, IA
Late night in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
4:44 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 10 to 16 mph
13% chance
Live forecast
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
29 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
37m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Dallas Center, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 25.5 miles and takes about 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 6, John MacVicar Freeway, R Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.8 miles from Dallas Center, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.99 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.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 25.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR R16 / 13th Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Dallas Center, IA to Des Moines, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 863 ft to 1,071 ft elevation with about 183 ft of total climbing.
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Des Moines, IA
More from Dallas Center, IA
More trips to Des Moines, IA
Explore more options from Dallas Center, IA or browse trips ending in Des Moines, IA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.