Origin
Kalona, IA
Late night in Kalona on Saturday
Local time
5:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kalona, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
45.3 mi
73 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kalona, IA
Vasilij Zajcev
Trip Overview
The drive from Kalona, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 45.3 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, Highway 1 Southwest, State Highway 1 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.3 miles on Avenue of the Saints. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.73 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 45.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Kalona, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 45.3 miles and takes about 58m, 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 18 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 27.3 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 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 5th Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.3 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (IA 22 / East Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 43.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
5th Street
Turn right onto 5th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 22 / East Avenue
Turn left onto IA 22 / East Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
43.5 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29t...
5
43.8 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
44.1 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
Oakland Road Northeast
Turn left onto Oakland Road Northeast
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 27.3 mi | 31m |
| Highway 1 Southwest | 13.3 mi | 18m |
| State Highway 1 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| 32nd Street Northeast | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 1st Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 29th Street Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Oakland Road Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 27.3 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kalona, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.
1
Start on B Avenue
36 ft
·
3 sec
·
B Avenue
2
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
5th Street
3
Turn left onto IA 22
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
East Avenue
4
Turn right onto IA 1
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Street
5
Continue on IA 1
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 1
6
Continue on IA 1
13 mi
·
18 min
·
Highway 1 Southwest
7
Continue on IA 1
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Highway 1 West
8
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
9
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
27 mi
·
31 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29th Street
11
Keep slight right at fork
319 ft
·
8 sec
12
Turn straight onto 29th Street Northeast
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
29th Street Northeast
13
Turn left onto Oakland Road Northeast
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Oakland Road Northeast
14
Turn right onto 32nd Street Northeast
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
32nd Street Northeast
15
Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft
·
10 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
16
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
177 ft
·
7 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
17
Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast
428 ft
·
18 sec
·
Tiperary Drive Northeast
18
Arrive at destination
Tiperary Drive Northeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.6 mi from Kalona, IA · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.6 miles from Kalona, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cedar Rapids, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Cedar Rapids, IA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.73 one way
$13.45 round trip
$3.77/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $7.59 | $15.17 |
| premium | $4.65 | $8.30 | $16.60 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $9.46 | $18.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.17 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Cedar Rapids, IA
Late night in Cedar Rapids on Saturday
Local time
5:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
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
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
58m 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 Kalona, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 45.3 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, Highway 1 Southwest, State Highway 1. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.6 miles from Kalona, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.73 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.3 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (IA 22 / East Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 43.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Kalona, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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