Origin
Decorah, IA
Afternoon in Decorah on Sunday
Local time
4:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Decorah, IA to Iowa City, IA
Drive Time
2h 31m
Distance
134 mi
216 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 21m
★
6 AM
2h 31m
8 AM
2h 51m
10 AM
2h 38m
12 PM
2h 36m
3 PM
2h 39m
5 PM
2h 50m
8 PM
2h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Iowa City, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Decorah, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 134 miles and takes about 2h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Winnebago Street, West Broadway Street, South Mechanic Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.35 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
67 miles from Decorah, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 15m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 31m drive with frequent turns across 134 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 43 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Winnebago 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.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Decorah, IA to Iowa City, IA is easy. At 2h 31m 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 Decorah, IA to Iowa City, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Winnebago Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Broadway Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Mechanic Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Short Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 9 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 150 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Lincoln Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| K Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Winnebago Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Decorah, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on East Main Street
394 ft
·
23 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto Winnebago Street
341 ft
·
17 sec
·
Winnebago Street
3
Turn right onto West Broadway Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
West Broadway Street
4
Turn left onto South Mechanic Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Mechanic Street
5
Turn slight right onto Short Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Short Street
6
Turn right onto State Highway 9
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
State Highway 9
7
Turn left
10 mi
·
14 min
8
Continue on Highway 150
7.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Highway 150
9
Continue on Lincoln Road
7.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Lincoln Road
10
Continue on State Highway 150
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 150
11
Continue on Lincoln Road
7.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Lincoln Road
12
Continue on State Highway 150
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 150
13
Continue on K Avenue
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
K Avenue
14
Turn right onto 100th Street
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
100th Street
15
Continue on Main Street East
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street East
16
Turn left onto P Avenue
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
P Avenue
17
Continue on 60th Street
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
60th Street
18
Turn left onto Palace Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Palace Road
19
Continue on North Frederick Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Frederick Avenue
20
Turn straight onto Highway 150
440 ft
·
7 sec
·
Highway 150
21
Continue on 1st Avenue Northeast
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
1st Avenue Northeast
22
Continue on 1st Avenue Southeast
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
1st Avenue Southeast
23
Turn straight onto Rock Island Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Rock Island Road
24
Continue on Palace Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Palace Road
25
Continue on Jackson Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Jackson Avenue
26
Continue on Main Street North
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street North
27
Continue on Jackson Avenue
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Jackson Avenue
28
Continue on Jamestown Avenue
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Jamestown Avenue
29
Continue on 5th Avenue Northeast
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Avenue Northeast
30
Turn right onto 1st Street East
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
1st Street East
31
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue Southeast
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
3rd Avenue Southeast
32
Continue on Jamestown Avenue
10 mi
·
14 min
·
Jamestown Avenue
33
Continue on 31st Avenue
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
31st Avenue
34
Take the ramp left
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
35
Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints
43 mi
·
47 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
36
Take the exit slight right toward I 80
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 80
37
Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: Davenport
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 80 East: Davenport
38
Merge slight left
4.2 mi
·
4 min
39
Take the exit slight right toward Downtown
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Downtown
40
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dubuque Street
41
Turn left onto Kimball Road
476 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kimball Road
42
Keep slight right to continue on North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Gilbert Street
43
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 67 miles from Decorah, IA, or about 1h 15m 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 80 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67 miles or 1h 15m 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 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Iowa City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Decorah, 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 Decorah, IA
This is one driving day of about 134 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Decorah, 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.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 67 mi from Decorah, IA · 1h 15m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
67 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 67 miles from Decorah, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Iowa City, IA
The final approach into Iowa City, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Iowa City, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.35 one way
$40.71 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
47 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $22.44 | $44.87 |
| premium | $4.80 | $25.30 | $50.59 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $29.77 | $59.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 40.2 | 0 | $14.07 | $6.43 |
| Efficient EV | 33.5 | 0 | $11.73 | $5.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53.6 | 0 | $18.76 | $8.58 |
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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
Iowa City, IA
Afternoon in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
4:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
42°F
Waterloo, IA
67 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
1 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 31m 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 Decorah, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 134 miles and takes about 2h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Winnebago Street, West Broadway Street, South Mechanic Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 67 miles from Decorah, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.35 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Decorah, IA to Iowa City, IA is easy. At 2h 31m 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 Decorah, IA to Iowa City, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Decorah, IA to Iowa City, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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