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Trip from Harlan, IA to Indiana, IA

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

2h 55m

Distance

150.1 mi

242 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 33 min
4 AM
2h 45m ★
6 AM
2h 56m
8 AM
3h 18m
10 AM
3h 4m
12 PM
3h 1m
3 PM
3h 5m
5 PM
3h 17m
8 PM
2h 49m

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

city in Iowa, USA

Harlan, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Indiana, IA, IA

Indiana, IA

Kelly

Trip Overview

The drive from Harlan, IA to Indiana, IA covers 150.1 miles and takes about 2h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 80, IA 5, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 82.4 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.47 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

75 miles from Harlan, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 25m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 2h 55m highway drive covering 150.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and IA 5. The longest continuous stretch is about 82.4 miles on I 80.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 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 82.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and IA 5. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 93.9 miles in near I 80.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 150.1 miles you will encounter 12 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 93.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 94.2 miles (Ramp 72 H): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 94.6 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

9
93.9 mi into trip | ~1h 46m 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...
5
94.2 mi into trip | ~1h 46m in | Ramp 72 H

Take the exit onto Ramp 72 H toward I 35 South: Kansas City

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 123B Toward I 35 South: Kansas City
5
94.6 mi into trip | ~1h 47m in | I 35

Merge onto I 35

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
98.4 mi into trip | ~1h 51m in

Take the exit toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk

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 68 Toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport,...
5
148 mi into trip | ~2h 52m in | CR G76 / County Highway G76

Turn sharp right onto CR G76 / County Highway G76

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Harlan, IA and Indiana, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Des Moines and Norwalk.

Minneapolis

93.9 mi in | ~1h 46m | via I 80

Kansas City

93.9 mi in | ~1h 46m | via I 80

Des Moines

98.4 mi in | ~1h 51m

Norwalk

98.4 mi in | ~1h 51m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 80 82.4 mi 1h 28m
IA 5 36 mi 44m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway 12.9 mi 14m
US 59 8.5 mi 11m
I 35 3.8 mi 4m
County Highway G76 2 mi 3m
12th Street 1.5 mi 2m
Linden Road 1.1 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 80 — 82.4 mi, about 1h 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Harlan, IA and Indiana, IA.

1

Start on Willow Street

55 ft · 4 sec · Willow Street
2

Turn right onto 12th Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · 12th Street
3

Continue on Linden Road

1.1 mi · 1 min · Linden Road
4

Continue on 800th Street

0.4 mi · 46 sec · 800th Street
5

Turn left onto US 59

8.5 mi · 11 min · US 59
6

Continue on US 59

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Avoca Lane
7

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
8

Merge onto I 80

82 mi · 1 hr 28 min · I 80
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 80

0.3 mi · 18 sec · I 80
Exit 123B Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit onto Ramp 72 H

0.4 mi · 51 sec · Ramp 72 H
Exit 123B Toward I 35 South: Kansas City
11

Merge onto I 35

3.8 mi · 4 min · I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 68 Toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk Use the slight right lane.
13

Continue on IA 5

13 mi · 14 min · Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit onto IA 5

19 mi · 22 min · IA 5
Toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
15

Turn left onto IA 5; IA 92

11 mi · 11 min · IA 5; IA 92
16

Take the exit onto IA 5

0.5 mi · 1 min · IA 5
17

Turn right onto IA 5

5.8 mi · 8 min · IA 5
18

Turn sharp right onto CR G76

0.2 mi · 24 sec · County Highway G76
19

Continue on CR G76

1.9 mi · 3 min · County Highway G76
20

Arrive at destination

CR G76

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 75 miles from Harlan, IA, or about 1h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82.4 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 80 miles or 1h 31m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 75 miles or 1h 25m 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 21m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Indiana, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Harlan, 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 Harlan, IA

This is one driving day of about 150.1 miles and 2h 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Harlan, 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 82.4 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 75 mi from Harlan, IA · 1h 25m into the drive

human settlement in Dallas County, Iowa, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waukee, IA

75 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

Waukee, IA

Fuel and coffee

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

Waukee, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 75 miles from Harlan, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 80 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 82.4 miles.

Arriving in Indiana, IA

The final approach into Indiana, 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 Indiana, 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

$23.47 one way

$46.93 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 53 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $25.77 $51.53
premium $4.89 $28.89 $57.77
diesel $5.61 $33.14 $66.28

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 52.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 45 0 $15.76 $7.20
Efficient EV 37.5 0 $13.13 $6.00
EV Truck/SUV 60 0 $21.01 $9.61

Gas CO2

53 kg

EV CO2

18 kg (66% 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 data refreshed 4 days ago

Origin

Harlan, IA

Late night in Harlan on Wednesday

Local time

5:37 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Indiana, IA

Late night in Indiana on Wednesday

Local time

5:37 AM

CDT

Current temp

71°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

20 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 55m 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 Harlan, IA to Indiana, IA covers 150.1 miles and takes about 2h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, IA 5, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 75 miles from Harlan, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.47 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 150.1 miles you will encounter 12 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 93.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 94.2 miles (Ramp 72 H): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 94.6 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Harlan, IA and Indiana, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Des Moines and Norwalk.

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