The drive from Greenfield, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 180.5 miles and takes about 3h 34m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, Lincoln Highway, Northeast Hubbell Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.9 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.22 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
90.3 miles from Greenfield, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 34m. Total distance: 180.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Greenfield, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 180.5 miles and takes about 3h 34m, 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 28 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 54.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 50.1 miles in near I 80.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 180.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 50.1 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 64.5 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 69 miles (US 65): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
50.1 mi into trip|~59m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123B
Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, K...
6
64.5 mi into trip|~1h 15m in|I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
69 mi into trip|~1h 21m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
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 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
7
177.9 mi into trip|~3h 29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
7
178 mi into trip|~3h 30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Greenfield, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Bondurant and Marion.
Minneapolis
50.1 mi in|~59m|via I 80
Kansas City
50.1 mi in|~59m|via I 80
Bondurant
69 mi in|~1h 21m|via US 65
Marion
168.4 mi in|~3h 17m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
54.9 mi
1h
Lincoln Highway
37 mi
42m
Northeast Hubbell Road
33.5 mi
39m
73rd Street
26.8 mi
30m
State Highway 25
12.3 mi
16m
IA 100
8.3 mi
9m
32nd Street Northeast
1.3 mi
2m
Northeast Hubbell Avenue
1.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 54.9 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Greenfield, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.
1
Start on Public Square
316 ft·18 sec·Public Square
2
Turn right onto South 1st Street
0.1 mi·29 sec·South 1st Street
3
Turn left onto IA 92
0.4 mi·37 sec·Southeast Kent Street
4
Turn left onto IA 25
0.9 mi·1 min·Southeast 6th Street
5
Continue on IA 25
12 mi·16 min·State Highway 25
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·43 sec
7
Merge onto I 80; US 6
36 mi·38 min·I 80; US 6
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
14 mi·16 min·I 80
Exit 123BToward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
4.5 mi·5 min·I 80
Use the slight left lane.
10
Take the exit onto US 65
0.5 mi·1 min·US 65
Exit 142Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, BondurantUse the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·Northeast Hubbell Avenue
12
Continue on US 65; IA 330
33 mi·39 min·Northeast Hubbell Road
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
14
Merge onto US 30
37 mi·42 min·Lincoln Highway
15
Continue on US 30
27 mi·30 min·73rd Street
16
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Toward IA 100 East: Cedar Rapids, Marion
17
Continue on IA 100
8.3 mi·9 min·IA 100
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I-380, IA 27: Iowa City, Waterloo
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·15 sec
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
21
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
0.5 mi·38 sec·Avenue of the Saints
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
23
Keep slight left at fork
121 ft·4 sec
24
Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast
1.3 mi·2 min·32nd Street Northeast
25
Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft·10 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
26
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
177 ft·7 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
27
Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast
428 ft·18 sec·Tiperary Drive Northeast
28
Arrive at destination
Tiperary Drive Northeast
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 90.3 miles from Greenfield, IA, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.9 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 40 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 90.3 miles or 1h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Rapids, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Greenfield, 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 Greenfield, IA
This is one driving day of about 180.5 miles and 3h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Greenfield, 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 I 80 for about 54.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 90.3 mi from Greenfield, IA
· 1h 47m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
54.2
0
$18.95
$8.66
Efficient EV
45.1
0
$15.79
$7.22
EV Truck/SUV
72.2
0
$25.27
$11.55
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Greenfield, IA
Late night
in Greenfield on Saturday
Local time
2:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Late night
in Cedar Rapids on Saturday
Local time
2:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Colfax, IA
90 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
1 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
3h 34m 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 Greenfield, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 180.5 miles and takes about 3h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, Lincoln Highway, Northeast Hubbell Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 90.3 miles from Greenfield, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.22 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 180.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 50.1 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 64.5 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 69 miles (US 65): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Greenfield, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Bondurant and Marion.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
