Origin
Fairfax, IA
Morning in Fairfax on Saturday
Local time
9:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfax, IA to Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 13m
Distance
114 mi
183 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 4m
★
6 AM
2h 14m
8 AM
2h 32m
10 AM
2h 20m
12 PM
2h 18m
3 PM
2h 21m
5 PM
2h 31m
8 PM
2h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfax, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fairfax, IA to Des Moines, IA is 114 miles and takes about 2h 13m via I 80, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, specifically Iowa, making it a straightforward journey between two points in the same state. It's a relatively short trip, mostly on a major interstate, so you won't encounter many complex turns or lengthy detours. Consider this an easy, one-day excursion if you're looking to get from point A to point B efficiently with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57 miles from Fairfax, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 9m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 13m. Total distance: 114 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a highway-focused drive, with 79% of the route utilizing interstate conditions. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 86.6 miles on I 80, offering a consistent pace. The drive progresses primarily on this major highway, with brief transitions onto local roads like W Avenue and U Avenue as you enter and exit your destinations. Expect a largely predictable driving experience with minimal variation in road type once you're on the interstate.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 86.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and W Avenue. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Church Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 114 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 0.1 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.9 miles (US 151 / U Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 108.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Church Street
Turn right onto Church Street
Navigation decision point
6
15.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
US 151 / U Avenue
Turn left onto US 151 / U Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
108.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 5m in
Take the exit toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 137A
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
8
113 mi into trip
|
~2h 11m in
Take the exit toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, Ea...
8
113.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Aven...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 86.6 mi | 1h 33m |
| W Avenue | 9 mi | 13m |
| U Avenue | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 4 mi | 5m |
| Amana Road Southwest | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| 79th Street | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Co Trunk Rd E68 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 86.6 mi, about 1h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfax, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on Vanderbilt Street
443 ft
·
21 sec
·
Vanderbilt Street
2
Turn right onto Church Street
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
Church Street
3
Turn left onto US 151
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Williams Boulevard
4
Continue on US 151
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Amana Road Southwest
5
Continue on US 151
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Co Trunk Rd E68
6
Continue on US 151
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
1st Avenue
7
Continue on US 151
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
79th Street
8
Continue on US 151
9.0 mi
·
13 min
·
W Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Turn left onto US 151
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
U Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
11
Merge onto I 80
87 mi
·
1 hr 33 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 137A
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Use the slight left lane.
13
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 8B
Toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
17
Turn left onto East University Avenue
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of 2 hours and 13 minutes, this trip is easily completed in a single day. You can depart anytime, but leaving in the morning will give you ample daylight to reach Des Moines. With only one main highway, I 80, navigation is simple. Plan for one fuel stop if needed, though the $18 fuel cost suggests you might start with a nearly full tank. The longest stretch is over 86 miles, so ensure you're comfortable with extended highway driving before you depart.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 57 miles from Fairfax, IA, or about 1h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.6 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 25 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57 miles or 1h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Des Moines, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fairfax, 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 Fairfax, IA
This is one driving day of about 114 miles and 2h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Fairfax, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 86.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 57 mi from Fairfax, IA · 1h 9m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
57 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 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 57 miles from Fairfax, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 80 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 86.6 miles.
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
The final approach into Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, 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
$17.82 one way
$35.65 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
40 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $19.57 | $39.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $21.94 | $43.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $25.17 | $50.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 34.2 | 0 | $11.97 | $5.47 |
| Efficient EV | 28.5 | 0 | $9.98 | $4.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 45.6 | 0 | $15.96 | $7.30 |
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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
Des Moines, IA
Morning in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
9:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Brooklyn, IA
57 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
3 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 13m 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 Fairfax, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 114 miles and takes about 2h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, W Avenue, U Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 57 miles from Fairfax, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.82 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 114 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 0.1 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.9 miles (US 151 / U Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 108.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Fairfax, IA to Des Moines, 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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