Origin
Emmetsburg, IA
Late night in Emmetsburg on Saturday
Local time
12:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Emmetsburg, IA to Iowa City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 1m
Distance
247.4 mi
398 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 48m
★
6 AM
5h 1m
8 AM
5h 28m
10 AM
5h 11m
12 PM
5h 8m
3 PM
5h 12m
5 PM
5h 27m
8 PM
4h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Emmetsburg, IA
Christiyana Krüger
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Emmetsburg, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 247.4 miles and takes about 5h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 20, Avenue of the Saints, 220th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 128.2 miles on US 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.68 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
123.7 miles from Emmetsburg, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 36m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 1m. Total distance: 247.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
The drive from Emmetsburg, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 247.4 miles and takes about 5h 1m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 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 128.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Lawler Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 247.4 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Lawler Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 18; IA 4 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 46.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Lawler Street
Turn right onto Lawler Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 18; IA 4 / Main Street
Turn left onto US 18; IA 4 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
46.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the ramp toward US 20 East
Navigation decision point
Toward US 20 East
6
174.8 mi into trip
|
~3h 35m in
|
I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
5
239.8 mi into trip
|
~4h 47m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 128.2 mi | 2h 27m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 64.7 mi | 1h 11m |
| 220th Avenue | 22.6 mi | 30m |
| 460th Avenue | 13 mi | 17m |
| Marengo Avenue | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| I 80 | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| Marshall Avenue | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Northwest 7th Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 128.2 mi, about 2h 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Emmetsburg, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on 8th Street
87 ft
·
8 sec
·
8th Street
2
Turn right onto Lawler Street
332 ft
·
14 sec
·
Lawler Street
3
Turn left onto US 18; IA 4
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn right onto IA 4
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Broadway Street
5
Continue on IA 4
13 mi
·
17 min
·
460th Avenue
6
Continue on IA 4
11 mi
·
15 min
·
220th Avenue
7
Continue on IA 4
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Northwest 7th Street
8
Continue on IA 4
11 mi
·
15 min
·
220th Avenue
9
Continue on IA 4; IA 7
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Marengo Avenue
10
Continue on IA 4; IA 7
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North East Street
11
Continue on IA 4; IA 7
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Marengo Avenue
12
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 4
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Marshall Avenue
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 20 East
14
Merge onto US 20
128 mi
·
2 hr 27 min
·
US 20
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
65 mi
·
1 hr 11 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 80
17
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
18
Merge onto I 80
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
I 80
19
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Downtown
20
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dubuque Street
21
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kimball Road
22
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Gilbert Street
23
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert 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 123.7 miles from Emmetsburg, IA, or about 2h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 128.2 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 54 miles or 1h 15m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 123.7 miles or 2h 36m 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 6m
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 Emmetsburg, 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 Emmetsburg, IA
This is one driving day of about 247.4 miles and 5h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Emmetsburg, 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 US 20 for about 128.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 123.7 mi from Emmetsburg, IA · 2h 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
124 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 54 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 123.7 miles from Emmetsburg, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 128.2 miles.
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.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.68 one way
$77.36 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
87 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $42.47 | $84.93 |
| premium | $4.89 | $47.61 | $95.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $54.62 | $109.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 86.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 74.2 | 0 | $25.98 | $11.88 |
| Efficient EV | 61.9 | 0 | $21.65 | $9.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 99 | 1 | $34.64 | $15.83 |
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Late night in Iowa City on Saturday
Local time
12:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Waterloo, IA
124 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
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
5h 1m 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 Emmetsburg, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 247.4 miles and takes about 5h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 20, Avenue of the Saints, 220th Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 123.7 miles from Emmetsburg, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $38.68 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 247.4 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Lawler Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 18; IA 4 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 46.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Emmetsburg, IA to Iowa City, 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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