The drive from Davenport, IA to Malvern, IA covers 303.7 miles and takes about 5h 56m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, US 6, US 59 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 184.7 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $47.48 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
151.8 miles from Davenport, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 52m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 56m. Total distance: 303.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 5h 56m highway drive covering 303.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and US 6. The longest continuous stretch is about 184.7 miles on I 80.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 184.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 6. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Marquette Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 56m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point; at 174.5 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|Marquette Street
Turn right onto Marquette Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.7 mi into trip|~10m in|US 6 / West Kimberly Road
At end of road, turn left onto US 6 / West Kimberly Road
Navigation decision point
7
174.5 mi into trip|~3h 16m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Omaha
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Omaha
5
257.1 mi into trip|~4h 45m in
Take the exit toward US 59: Avoca, Harlan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 59: Avoca, Harlan
5
292.1 mi into trip|~5h 37m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Davenport, IA to Malvern, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Harlan along the way.
Harlan
257.1 mi in|~4h 45m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
184.7 mi
3h 20m
US 6
85.3 mi
1h 40m
US 59
14 mi
20m
US 34
9.6 mi
14m
West Kimberly Road
2.9 mi
4m
Hickory Grove Road
2.5 mi
5m
Marquette Street
1 mi
2m
County Highway L63
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 184.7 mi, about 3h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Davenport, IA and Malvern, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Marquette Street
1.0 mi·2 min·Marquette Street
3
Turn left onto US 6 Hist
0.5 mi·1 min·West Locust Street
4
Turn slight right onto US 6 Hist
2.5 mi·5 min·Hickory Grove Road
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 6
2.9 mi·4 min·West Kimberly Road
6
Take the ramp onto US 6
65 mi·1 hr 11 min·US 6
7
Continue on I 80
102 mi·1 hr 51 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
83 mi·1 hr 29 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: OmahaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward US 59: Avoca, Harlan
10
Turn straight onto US 59
14 mi·20 min·US 59
11
Turn right onto US 6; US 59
20 mi·29 min·US 6; US 59
12
Turn left
0.2 mi·35 sec
13
Keep slight left at fork
141 ft·5 sec
14
Turn left onto US 34
9.6 mi·14 min·US 34
15
Turn left onto County Highway L63
1.0 mi·1 min·County Highway L63
16
Continue on Main Street
0.9 mi·2 min·Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 151.8 miles from Davenport, IA, or about 2h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 184.7 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 67 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 151.8 miles or 2h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Malvern, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Davenport, 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 Davenport, IA
This is one driving day of about 303.7 miles and 5h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 67 miles from Davenport, 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 I 80 for about 184.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 151.8 mi from Davenport, IA
· 2h 52m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.48 one way
$94.96 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg106 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$52.13
$104.26
premium
$4.89
$58.44
$116.89
diesel
$5.61
$67.05
$134.11
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 106.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
9 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
Shell Recharge Charging Station
Avoca, Iowa
Shell Recharge
1 DCFC
Shell Recharge Charging Station
Grimes, Iowa
Shell Recharge
1 DCFC
Red E Charging Station
Waukee, Iowa
Other
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Waukee, IA
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Waukee, Iowa
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Waukee, Iowa
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Waukee, Iowa
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Urbandale, Iowa
Other
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 5
Shell Recharge: 2
Other: 2
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
91.1
1
$31.89
$14.58
Efficient EV
75.9
0
$26.57
$12.15
EV Truck/SUV
121.5
1
$42.52
$19.44
Gas CO2
106 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Davenport, IA
Morning
in Davenport on Saturday
Local time
6:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
39°F
Cloudy
NW 15 mph8% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Malvern, IA
Morning
in Malvern on Saturday
Local time
6:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Newton, IA
152 mi in
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
13 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
5h 56m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Davenport, IA to Malvern, IA covers 303.7 miles and takes about 5h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, US 6, US 59. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 151.8 miles from Davenport, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $47.48 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 56m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point; at 174.5 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Davenport, IA to Malvern, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Harlan along the way.
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.
