Trip from Farley, IA to Council Bluffs, IA

Drive Time

4h 55m

Distance

307.5 mi

495 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$47

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min
4 AM
4h 42m ★
6 AM
4h 56m
8 AM
5h 23m
10 AM
5h 5m
12 PM
5h 3m
3 PM
5h 7m
5 PM
5h 21m
8 PM
4h 48m

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

Downtown Council Bluffs, IA, IA

Council Bluffs, IA

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Farley, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 307.5 miles and takes about 4h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Park Street Southwest, Farley Road, US 30 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.71 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

153.7 miles from Farley, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 27m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 55m drive with frequent turns across 307.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Park Street Southwest 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 55m 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 Farley, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Park Street Southwest Unavailable Refreshing
Farley Road Unavailable Refreshing
US 30 West Unavailable Refreshing
16th Avenue Southwest Unavailable Refreshing
73rd Street Unavailable Refreshing
Lincoln Highway Unavailable Refreshing
IA 330 Unavailable Refreshing
Marshalltown Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing

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

Longest stretch: Park Street Southwest — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on 1st Avenue West

0.4 mi · 48 sec · 1st Avenue West
2

Turn left onto Park Street Southwest

0.3 mi · 48 sec · Park Street Southwest
3

Continue on Farley Road

10 mi · 18 min · Farley Road
4

Take the ramp right

0.4 mi · 47 sec
5

Merge slight left

39 mi · 44 min
6

Turn left

1.1 mi · 1 min
7

Turn right

15 mi · 19 min
8

Take the exit slight right toward US 30 West, US 218 North: Tama, Marshalltown

0.7 mi · 1 min · US 30 West, US 218 North: Tama, Marshalltown
9

Merge slight left onto 16th Avenue Southwest

2.4 mi · 2 min · 16th Avenue Southwest
10

Continue on 73rd Street

24 mi · 28 min · 73rd Street
11

Continue on Lincoln Highway

37 mi · 43 min · Lincoln Highway
12

Take the exit slight right toward IA 330: Melbourne, Des Moines

0.3 mi · 46 sec · IA 330: Melbourne, Des Moines
13

Turn left onto Marshalltown Boulevard

34 mi · 39 min · Marshalltown Boulevard
14

Continue on Northeast Hubbell Avenue

0.7 mi · 58 sec · Northeast Hubbell Avenue
15

Take the exit slight right toward I 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines

13 mi · 15 min · I 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines
16

Continue straight

5.6 mi · 6 min
17

Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Omaha

96 mi · 1 hr 42 min · I 80 West: Omaha
18

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

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

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

0.3 mi · 31 sec · US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
20

Turn straight onto East Kanesville Boulevard

2.8 mi · 4 min · East Kanesville Boulevard
21

Continue on East Broadway

0.1 mi · 21 sec · East Broadway
22

Continue on East Kanesville Boulevard

0.9 mi · 2 min · East Kanesville Boulevard
23

Continue on West Broadway

0.4 mi · 51 sec · West Broadway
24

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 153.7 miles from Farley, IA, or about 2h 27m 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 16m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 153.7 miles or 2h 27m 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 2m

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 Farley, 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 Farley, IA

This is one driving day of about 307.5 miles and 4h 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Farley, 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 153.7 mi from Farley, IA · 2h 27m into the drive

Downtown Ankeny, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ankeny, IA

154 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.

Popular next leg

Ankeny, IA to Council Bluffs, IA

139.9 mi · 2h 12m

Pacing Suggestions

Cedar Rapids, IA

Fuel and coffee

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

Ankeny, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 153.7 miles from Farley, 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

$46.71 one way

$93.41 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 108 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $51.49 $102.98
premium $4.80 $58.05 $116.10
diesel $5.64 $68.32 $136.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$47

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$72–$97

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 107.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $32 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 92.3 1 $32.29 $14.76
Efficient EV 76.9 0 $26.91 $12.30
EV Truck/SUV 123 1 $43.05 $19.68

Gas CO2

108 kg

EV CO2

36 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 3 days ago

Origin

Farley, IA

Afternoon in Farley on Monday

Local time

12:44 PM

CDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Council Bluffs, IA

Afternoon in Council Bluffs on Monday

Local time

12:44 PM

CDT

Current temp

55°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

13 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 55m 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 Farley, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 307.5 miles and takes about 4h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Park Street Southwest, Farley Road, US 30 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 153.7 miles from Farley, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $46.71 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 55m 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 Farley, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Farley, IA to Council Bluffs, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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