Origin
Iowa Falls, IA
Afternoon in Iowa Falls on Sunday
Local time
2:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Iowa Falls, IA to Iowa City, IA
Drive Time
2h 41m
Distance
134.7 mi
217 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 31m
★
6 AM
2h 41m
8 AM
3h 2m
10 AM
2h 49m
12 PM
2h 46m
3 PM
2h 50m
5 PM
3h 1m
8 PM
2h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Iowa Falls, IA
Ali Soheil
Iowa City, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Connecting Iowa Falls to Iowa City, this 134.7-mile journey is a straightforward Midwest transit that typically takes about 2 hours and 41 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $20 for fuel to complete the drive comfortably. Navigating a mix of local roads like Oak Street and larger thoroughfares such as US 20 and the Avenue of the Saints, you will experience a steady transition across the Iowa landscape. It is an efficient path that avoids the complexity of longer cross-country treks while providing a reliable connection between two distinct parts of the state.
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
67.4 miles from Iowa Falls, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 21m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a mixed-drive experience that balances local road navigation with more efficient highway travel. Roughly 45% of your journey will be spent on highways, providing a nice contrast to the slower-paced segments through town centers. The most significant portion of your time behind the wheel involves a 64.7-mile stretch along the Avenue of the Saints, which serves as the longest uninterrupted leg of the trip. As you move from the initial local streets onto these faster roads, the driving rhythm shifts noticeably. You will encounter a variety of road conditions, requiring you to remain alert as you transition between the higher-speed highway zones and the more constrained local roadways.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 64.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Rocksylvania Avenue.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 134.7 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 0.1 miles (East Rocksylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 62.1 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Rocksylvania Avenue
Turn right onto East Rocksylvania Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
5.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward US 20 East
Navigation decision point
Toward US 20 East
8
62.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the none lane.
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
4
126.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 26m in
Take the exit toward I 80
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 80
5
127.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 64.7 mi | 1h 11m |
| US 20 | 55.9 mi | 1h 4m |
| Oak Street | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| I 80 | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| North Dubuque Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Gilbert Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| East Rocksylvania Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Kimball Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 64.7 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iowa Falls, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on Commercial Street
331 ft
·
11 sec
·
Commercial Street
2
Turn right onto East Rocksylvania Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Rocksylvania Avenue
3
Turn left onto US 65
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Oak Street
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward US 20 East
5
Merge onto US 20
56 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
US 20
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
65 mi
·
1 hr 11 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Use the none lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 80
8
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
9
Merge onto I 80
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
I 80
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Downtown
11
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dubuque Street
12
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kimball Road
13
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Gilbert Street
14
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Trip Plan
For the smoothest experience, plan your departure to account for the total 2-hour and 41-minute duration, leaving early enough to avoid peak traffic on local roads. Since the route only requires one stop, you have plenty of flexibility to decide when and where you want to break up the 134.7-mile drive. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, keeping that $20 estimate in mind as you navigate the transition from US 20 to the Avenue of the Saints. Because this is a relatively short trip, you can easily adjust your pace to suit your personal schedule. A helpful tip for this specific route is to prioritize your single planned stop during the transition off the longest stretch of the Avenue of the Saints to maximize your momentum.
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 67.4 miles from Iowa Falls, IA, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.7 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 80 miles or 1h 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.4 miles or 1h 21m 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 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Iowa City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Iowa Falls, 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 Iowa Falls, IA
This is one driving day of about 134.7 miles and 2h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Iowa Falls, 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 64.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 67.4 mi from Iowa Falls, IA · 1h 21m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
67 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 67.4 miles from Iowa Falls, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Avenue of the Saints if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.7 miles.
Arriving in Iowa City, IA
The final approach into Iowa City, 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 Iowa City, 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
$20.46 one way
$40.92 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
47 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $22.55 | $45.11 |
| premium | $4.80 | $25.43 | $50.86 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $29.93 | $59.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 40.4 | 0 | $14.14 | $6.47 |
| Efficient EV | 33.7 | 0 | $11.79 | $5.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53.9 | 0 | $18.86 | $8.62 |
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Destination
Iowa City, IA
Afternoon in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
2:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°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
2 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 41m 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 Iowa Falls, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 134.7 miles and takes about 2h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, US 20, Oak Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 67.4 miles from Iowa Falls, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.46 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 134.7 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 0.1 miles (East Rocksylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 62.1 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Iowa Falls, IA to Iowa City, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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