Origin
Durant, IA
Morning in Durant on Friday
Local time
8:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Durant, IA to Ames, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 35m
Distance
161.2 mi
259 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$25
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 25m
★
6 AM
2h 36m
8 AM
2h 57m
10 AM
2h 43m
12 PM
2h 41m
3 PM
2h 44m
5 PM
2h 56m
8 PM
2h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Durant, IA
SHOX ART
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Durant, IA to Ames, IA covers 161.2 miles and takes about 2h 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 6th Avenue, 5th Street, Yankee Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.20 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
80.6 miles from Durant, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 17m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 35m. Total distance: 161.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 35m drive with frequent turns across 161.2 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.
6th Avenue 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 Durant, IA to Ames, IA is easy. At 2h 35m 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 Durant, IA to Ames, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 6th Avenue | — | — |
| 5th Street | — | — |
| Yankee Avenue | — | — |
| I 380 | — | — |
| Avenue of the Saints | — | — |
| US 30 West | — | — |
| Lincoln Highway | — | — |
| I 35 North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
6th Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Durant, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on 4th Street
351 ft
·
18 sec
·
4th Street
2
Turn right onto 6th Avenue
390 ft
·
23 sec
·
6th Avenue
3
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
5th Street
4
Turn right onto Yankee Avenue
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Yankee Avenue
5
Take the ramp sharp left
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
6
Merge slight left
37 mi
·
40 min
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
I 380, US 218, IA 27
8
Keep slight right to continue on I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
9
Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints
16 mi
·
17 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
10
Take the exit slight right toward US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North: Tama
34 mi
·
39 min
·
US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North: Tama
11
Continue on Lincoln Highway
66 mi
·
1 hr 16 min
·
Lincoln Highway
12
Take the exit slight right toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35 North: Minneapolis
13
Merge slight left
1.2 mi
·
1 min
14
Take the exit slight right toward USDA Veterinary Labs
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
USDA Veterinary Labs
15
Turn left onto East 13th Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East 13th Street
16
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 80.6 miles from Durant, IA, or about 1h 17m 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 35 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 80.6 miles or 1h 17m 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 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ames, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Durant, 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 Durant, IA
This is one driving day of about 161.2 miles and 2h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Durant, 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 80.6 mi from Durant, IA · 1h 17m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
81 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 80.6 miles from Durant, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ames, IA
The final approach into Ames, 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 Ames, 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
$25.20 one way
$50.40 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
56 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $27.67 | $55.34 |
| premium | $4.89 | $31.02 | $62.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $35.59 | $71.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 48.4 | 0 | $16.93 | $7.74 |
| Efficient EV | 40.3 | 0 | $14.10 | $6.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 64.5 | 0 | $22.57 | $10.32 |
Gas CO2
56 kg
EV CO2
19 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
Ames, IA
Morning in Ames on Friday
Local time
8:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Vinton, IA
81 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
20 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
2h 35m 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 Durant, IA to Ames, IA covers 161.2 miles and takes about 2h 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 6th Avenue, 5th Street, Yankee Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 80.6 miles from Durant, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.20 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 Durant, IA to Ames, IA is easy. At 2h 35m 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 Durant, IA to Ames, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Durant, IA to Ames, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Ames, IA
Explore more options from Durant, IA or browse trips ending in Ames, IA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.