Origin
Garner, IA
Morning in Garner on Saturday
Local time
7:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Garner, IA to Waterloo, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 5m
Distance
104.3 mi
168 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
11 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 57m
★
6 AM
2h 6m
8 AM
2h 24m
10 AM
2h 12m
12 PM
2h 10m
3 PM
2h 13m
5 PM
2h 23m
8 PM
2h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Garner, IA
Jay's Photography
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Garner, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 104.3 miles and takes about 2h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 18, Leo P Rooff Expressway, Avenue of the Saints for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 94.7 miles on US 18. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.31 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
52.2 miles from Garner, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 4m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 5m. Total distance: 104.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 5m highway drive covering 104.3 miles, with most of the trip on US 18 and Leo P Rooff Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 94.7 miles on US 18.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 18 is the longest continuous segment at about 94.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 18 and Leo P Rooff Expressway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near State Street.
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 2h 5m drive. You will face about 10 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 (State Street): Navigation decision point; at 13 miles (US 18): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.9 miles (US 18; IA 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
State Street
Turn right onto State Street
Navigation decision point
6
13 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
US 18
Take the ramp onto US 18 toward I 35 south, US 18 east, IA 27 south: Des Moines
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 south, US 18 east, IA 27 south: Des...
5
15.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
US 18; IA 27
Take the exit onto US 18; IA 27 toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Cha...
5
103.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 4m in
Take the exit toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers C...
5
104.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 5m in
|
West 4th Street
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Garner, IA to Waterloo, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Charles City along the way.
Charles City
15.9 mi in
|
~22m
|
via US 18; IA 27
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 18 | 94.7 mi | 1h 53m |
| Leo P Rooff Expressway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| US 218 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| State Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 4th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 3rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 18
— 94.7 mi, about 1h 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Garner, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on East 3rd Street
69 ft
·
5 sec
·
East 3rd Street
2
Turn right onto State Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
State Street
3
Turn right onto US 18
13 mi
·
18 min
·
US 18
4
Take the ramp onto US 18
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
US 18
Toward I 35 south, US 18 east, IA 27 south: Des Moines
5
Merge onto I 35; US 18; IA 27
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
6
Take the exit onto US 18; IA 27
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
US 18; IA 27
Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
7
Turn slight right onto US 18; IA 27
81 mi
·
1 hr 34 min
·
US 18; IA 27
Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
8
Take the exit
317 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
9
Continue on US 218
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 218
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
10
Merge onto US 218
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Leo P Rooff Expressway
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
12
Turn straight onto Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Washington Street
13
Turn right onto West 4th Street
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 4th Street
14
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Trip Plan
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 52.2 miles from Garner, IA, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 94.7 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 23 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.2 miles or 1h 4m 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 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waterloo, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Garner, 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 Garner, IA
This is one driving day of about 104.3 miles and 2h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Garner, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 18 for about 94.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 52.2 mi from Garner, IA · 1h 4m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
52 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 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 52.2 miles from Garner, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 18 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 94.7 miles.
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.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Waterloo, 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
$16.31 one way
$32.61 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
37 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $17.90 | $35.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $20.07 | $40.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $23.03 | $46.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
11 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Hy-Vee Waterloo - Tesla Supercharger
Waterloo, IA
Tesla
8 DCFC
Pilot Travel Center 407
Clear Lake, IA
eVgo Network
4 DCFC
Kwik Star 419 Charles City
Charles City, IA
CHARGELAB
4 DCFC
Roling Ford
Shell Rock, IA
Blink Network
4 DCFC
225 Commercial St
Waterloo, IA
CHARGELAB
4 DCFC
Waterloo Hy-Vee
Waterloo, IA
CHARGELAB
4 DCFC
Colwell Motors Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Mason City, IA
Blink Network
2 DCFC
Schukei Chevrolet Volkswagen EV Charger
Mason City, IA
Non-Networked
2 DCFC
CHARGELAB: 3
EV Connect: 2
Blink Network: 2
eVgo Network: 1
ChargePoint Network: 1
Non-Networked: 1
Tesla: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 31.3 | 0 | $10.95 | $5.01 |
| Efficient EV | 26.1 | 0 | $9.13 | $4.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 41.7 | 0 | $14.60 | $6.68 |
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (67% 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
Morning in Waterloo on Saturday
Local time
7:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 5m 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 Garner, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 104.3 miles and takes about 2h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 18, Leo P Rooff Expressway, Avenue of the Saints. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 52.2 miles from Garner, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.31 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 2h 5m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (State Street): Navigation decision point; at 13 miles (US 18): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.9 miles (US 18; IA 27): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Garner, IA to Waterloo, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Charles City along the way.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NREL for EV charging. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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