Origin
Indianola, IA
Afternoon in Indianola on Saturday
Local time
12:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Indianola, IA to Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
18 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Indianola, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 18-mile drive from Indianola to Des Moines, IA, is easily doable in about 30 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads like South Jefferson Way, Southeast 14th Street, and Southeast 6th Street, with no highway driving involved. Given the minimal distance and duration, an overnight split is unnecessary, and the estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $3. This route stays within the Midwest region and the state of Iowa, offering a straightforward local connection. It's a practical option for getting from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Jefferson Way | 10.2 mi | 16m |
| Southeast 14th Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Southeast 6th Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Southridge Boulevard | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Indianola Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East 6th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Locust Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Jefferson Way
— 10.2 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Indianola, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on this road
79 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto IA 92
291 ft
·
8 sec
·
East 2nd Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 65; US 69
10 mi
·
16 min
·
South Jefferson Way
4
Continue on US 69
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Southridge Boulevard
5
Continue on US 69
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Southeast 14th Street
6
Turn slight left onto Indianola Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Indianola Avenue
7
Turn right onto Southeast 6th Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast 6th Street
8
Continue on East 6th Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
East 6th Street
9
Turn right onto East Locust Street
491 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Locust Street
10
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
11
Turn left onto East University Avenue
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue
Turn left onto IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 65; US 69 / South Jefferson Way
Turn right onto US 65; US 69 / South Jefferson Way
Navigation decision point
4
15.1 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
Southeast 6th Street
Turn right onto Southeast 6th Street
Navigation decision point
5
17.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
East Locust Street
Turn right onto East Locust Street
Navigation decision point
3
17.3 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Pennsylvania Avenue
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.81 one way
$5.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.09 | $6.18 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.46 | $6.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.97 | $7.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Des Moines, IA
Afternoon in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
12:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Mostly Clear
NW 12 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
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
38 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
30m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 18-mile journey. With 0% highway share, you'll be on city streets for the entire duration. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.2 miles on South Jefferson Way. This profile suggests a drive where you'll be making frequent turns and navigating through developed areas rather than open highways. The character of the road will likely shift as you move through different local zones, so stay alert to changing speed limits and traffic patterns.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.2 mi on South Jefferson Way.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 30m drive. You will face about 5 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 (IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 65; US 69 / South Jefferson Way): Navigation decision point; at 15.1 miles (Southeast 6th Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Full guide →Des Moines, capital of Iowa, is in the western region of the American Midwest. Des Moines is the largest city in Iowa and the annual site of the Iowa State Fair and numerous cultural festivals during warm weather months. History enthusiasts will find 110 historic sites in and around the city as part of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. The city appeals to travelers with an interest in the arts who marvel at the architecture of the State Capitol with its five domes, including the large main dome with its gleaming 23-karat gold surface. The city has a good art museum, a symphony that performs in the downtown Civic Center (along with opera, ballet, and other performing arts), and a big annual arts festival that draws visitors from across Iowa and beyond.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 18 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.2 miles on South Jefferson Way. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IA 92 / East 2nd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 65; US 69 / South Jefferson Way): Navigation decision point; at 15.1 miles (Southeast 6th Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Des Moines, IA before heading back.
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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