Origin
Kalona, IA
Afternoon in Kalona on Saturday
Local time
1:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kalona, IA to Iowa City, 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
19.1 mi
31 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 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kalona, IA
Vasilij Zajcev
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Kalona, IA to Iowa City, IA covers 19.1 miles and takes about 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highway 1 Southwest, Highway 1 West, State Highway 1 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.3 miles on Highway 1 Southwest. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 1 Southwest | 13.3 mi | 18m |
| Highway 1 West | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| State Highway 1 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| South Gilbert Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| 1st Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Highway 6 East | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 5th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 1 Southwest
— 13.3 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kalona, IA and Iowa City, 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
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 1 West
8
Continue on US 6; IA 1
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 6 East
9
Turn left onto South Gilbert Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Gilbert Street
10
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 18 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
4
18 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
South Gilbert Street
Turn left onto South Gilbert Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.99 one way
$5.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.28 | $6.56 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.68 | $7.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.22 | $8.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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 Saturday
Local time
1:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
22 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
30m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
19.1 mi in 30m, mostly highway — 13.3 mi of that is on Highway 1 Southwest.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on Highway 1 Southwest.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 1 Southwest and Highway 1 West. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 5th Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Kalona, IA to Iowa City, IA is easy. At 30m with 88% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
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 18 miles (South Gilbert Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 19.1 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 (88%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on Highway 1 Southwest. 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 (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (IA 22 / East Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 18 miles (South Gilbert Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Iowa City, 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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