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Trip from Harlan, IA to Davenport, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 5m

Distance

270 mi

435 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$42

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min
4 AM
4h 52m ★
6 AM
5h 6m
8 AM
5h 33m
10 AM
5h 15m
12 PM
5h 13m
3 PM
5h 17m
5 PM
5h 31m
8 PM
4h 58m

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

county seat of Scott County, Iowa, United States

Davenport, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Harlan, IA to Davenport, IA covers 270 miles and takes about 5h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 80, US 59, West Kimberly Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 248.8 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.21 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

135 miles from Harlan, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 31m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 5m. Total distance: 270 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 5h 5m highway drive covering 270 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and US 59. The longest continuous stretch is about 248.8 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 248.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 59. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 93.9 miles in near I 80.

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 5h 5m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

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 108.3 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 260.6 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 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...
6
108.3 mi into trip | ~2h 2m 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.
5
260.6 mi into trip | ~4h 47m in | US 6

Take the exit onto US 6 toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock Island, Moline

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock...
5
261.8 mi into trip | ~4h 49m in | US 6

Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6 East, CR F58 West: Kimberly Road, Walcott

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 6 East, CR F58 West: Kimberly Road, W...
5
268.9 mi into trip | ~5h 3m in | West 14th Street

Turn left onto West 14th 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.

Between Harlan, IA and Davenport, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis and Kansas City.

Minneapolis

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

Kansas City

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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 80 248.8 mi 4h 29m
US 59 8.5 mi 11m
West Kimberly Road 3 mi 4m
Hickory Grove Road 2.5 mi 5m
US 6 1.5 mi 2m
12th Street 1.5 mi 2m
Linden Road 1.1 mi 1m
West Locust Street 0.9 mi 2m
Longest stretch: I 80 — 248.8 mi, about 4h 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Harlan, IA and Davenport, 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

14 mi · 16 min · I 80
Exit 123B Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 80

152 mi · 2 hr 44 min · I 80
Use the slight left lane.
11

Take the exit onto US 6

1.1 mi · 2 min · US 6
Toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock Island, Moline
12

Take the exit onto US 6

0.4 mi · 51 sec · US 6
Toward US 6 East, CR F58 West: Kimberly Road, Walcott
13

Continue on US 6

3.0 mi · 4 min · West Kimberly Road
14

Turn slight right onto Hickory Grove Road

2.5 mi · 5 min · Hickory Grove Road
15

Turn left onto US 6 Hist

0.9 mi · 2 min · West Locust Street
16

Turn right onto Gaines Street

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Gaines Street
17

Turn left onto West 14th Street

0.3 mi · 45 sec · West 14th Street
18

At end of road, turn right onto US 61 Business

0.7 mi · 1 min · Harrison Street
19

Turn right onto West 4th Street

165 ft · 4 sec · West 4th Street
20

Arrive at destination

West 4th Street

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 135 miles from Harlan, IA, or about 2h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 248.8 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 59 miles or 1h 8m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 135 miles or 2h 31m 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 5m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Davenport, 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 270 miles and 5h 5m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 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 248.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 135 mi from Harlan, IA · 2h 31m into the drive

city in and the county seat of Jasper County, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Newton, IA

135 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

Stuart, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 59 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Newton, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 135 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 248.8 miles.

Arriving in Davenport, IA

The final approach into Davenport, 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 Davenport, IA.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$42.21 one way

$84.42 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 95 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $46.35 $92.69
premium $4.89 $51.96 $103.92
diesel $5.61 $59.61 $119.23

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$42

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$67–$92

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 94.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 81 0 $28.35 $12.96
Efficient EV 67.5 0 $23.63 $10.80
EV Truck/SUV 108 1 $37.80 $17.28

Gas CO2

94 kg

EV CO2

32 kg (66% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 16, 2026

Origin

Harlan, IA

Night in Harlan on Friday

Local time

9:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Davenport, IA

Night in Davenport on Friday

Local time

9:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

72°F

Newton, IA

135 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

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

5h 5m 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 Harlan, IA to Davenport, IA covers 270 miles and takes about 5h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 80, US 59, West Kimberly Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 135 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 $42.21 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 5h 5m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

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 108.3 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 260.6 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Harlan, IA and Davenport, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis and Kansas City.

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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