Origin
Eldora, IA
Afternoon in Eldora on Friday
Local time
3:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eldora, IA to Waterloo, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
46.9 mi
75 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eldora, IA
Pexels LATAM
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Eldora, IA to Waterloo, IA is 46.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via US 20, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily through the Midwest region of Iowa. The drive is focused on highway travel, making it a quick and efficient way to get between these two communities. If you're looking for a simple transit rather than an extensive scenic journey, this route will get you there without much fuss. Consider this a practical hop between points rather than a destination in itself.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This route is largely a highway-focused drive, with about 71% of it on major roads like US 20. You'll experience a significant stretch of 33 miles on US 20 without interruption, offering a consistent pace. While the majority is highway, expect some segments on Sergeant Road and County Road S56, which might offer a slight change of scenery or road type before rejoining the main highway. The overall character is one of efficient travel, prioritizing speed and directness over winding backroads.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 33 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and Sergeant Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 175 / Edgington Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 3m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IA 175 / Edgington Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (CR S56 / County Road S56): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 175 / Edgington Avenue
Turn left onto IA 175 / Edgington Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR S56 / County Road S56
Turn left onto CR S56 / County Road S56
Navigation decision point
3
8.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
4
41.7 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward US 63: Sergeant Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 63: Sergeant Road
5
46.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
West 4th Street
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 33 mi | 38m |
| Sergeant Road | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| County Road S56 | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| County Highway S56 | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Edgington Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| South 1st Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| US 63 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 33 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eldora, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on Washington Street
69 ft
·
9 sec
·
Washington Street
2
Turn left onto IA 175
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Edgington Avenue
3
Turn left onto CR S56
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
County Road S56
4
Continue on South 1st Street
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
South 1st Street
5
Continue on County Highway S56
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
County Highway S56
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
7
Merge onto US 20
33 mi
·
38 min
·
US 20
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 63: Sergeant Road
9
Turn slight right
120 ft
·
6 sec
10
Turn straight onto US 63
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Sergeant Road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto US 63
388 ft
·
9 sec
·
University Avenue
12
Turn straight onto US 63
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
US 63
13
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
14
Continue on Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Washington Street
15
Turn right onto West 4th Street
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 4th Street
16
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.4 mi from Eldora, IA · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.4 miles from Eldora, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Waterloo, IA
The final approach into Waterloo, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.33 one way
$14.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.05 | $16.10 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.03 | $18.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.35 | $20.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Waterloo, IA
Afternoon in Waterloo on Friday
Local time
3:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
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
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
1h 3m 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 Eldora, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 20, Sergeant Road, County Road S56. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.4 miles from Eldora, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.33 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 straightforward 1h 3m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IA 175 / Edgington Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (CR S56 / County Road S56): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Eldora, IA to Waterloo, 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.
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