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Trip from Durant, IA to Council Bluffs, IA

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

4h 15m

Distance

274.9 mi

442 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$43

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
4h 2m ★
6 AM
4h 15m
8 AM
4h 41m
10 AM
4h 24m
12 PM
4h 22m
3 PM
4h 26m
5 PM
4h 40m
8 PM
4h 7m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States

Council Bluffs, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Durant, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 274.9 miles and takes about 4h 15m 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 $42.98 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

137.5 miles from Durant, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 7m into the drive .

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Drive Character

Expect a 4h 15m drive with frequent turns across 274.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 4h 15m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Durant, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
6th Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
5th Street Unavailable Refreshing
Yankee Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
I 80 West Unavailable Refreshing
US 6 Unavailable Refreshing
East Kanesville Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing
East Broadway Unavailable Refreshing
West Broadway Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: 6th Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Durant, IA and Council Bluffs, 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

147 mi · 2 hr 39 min
7

Continue straight

5.6 mi · 6 min
8

Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Omaha

96 mi · 1 hr 42 min · I 80 West: Omaha
9

Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska

19 mi · 20 min · I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska
10

Take the exit slight right toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland

0.3 mi · 31 sec · US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
11

Turn straight onto East Kanesville Boulevard

2.8 mi · 4 min · East Kanesville Boulevard
12

Continue on East Broadway

0.1 mi · 21 sec · East Broadway
13

Continue on East Kanesville Boulevard

0.9 mi · 2 min · East Kanesville Boulevard
14

Continue on West Broadway

0.4 mi · 51 sec · West Broadway
15

Arrive at your destination

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 137.5 miles from Durant, IA, or about 2h 7m 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 14m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 137.5 miles or 2h 7m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 29m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Council Bluffs, 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 274.9 miles and 4h 15m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 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 137.5 mi from Durant, IA · 2h 7m into the drive

city in Polk, Dallas, Warren, and Madison counties, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

West Des Moines, IA

137 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

Indiana, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

West Des Moines, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 137.5 miles from Durant, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Council Bluffs, IA

The final approach into Council Bluffs, 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 Council Bluffs, 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

$42.98 one way

$85.95 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 96 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $47.19 $94.38
premium $4.89 $52.90 $105.80
diesel $5.61 $60.69 $121.39

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$43

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$68–$93

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 96.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 82.5 1 $28.86 $13.20
Efficient EV 68.7 0 $24.05 $11.00
EV Truck/SUV 110 1 $38.49 $17.59

Gas CO2

96 kg

EV CO2

32 kg (67% 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 data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Durant, IA

Morning in Durant on Wednesday

Local time

9:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Council Bluffs, IA

Morning in Council Bluffs on Wednesday

Local time

9:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

76°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

26 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

4h 15m 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 Durant, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 274.9 miles and takes about 4h 15m 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 137.5 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 $42.98 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 4h 15m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Durant, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Durant, IA to Council Bluffs, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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