Origin
Madrid, IA
Night in Madrid on Friday
Local time
11:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Madrid, IA to Ames, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
23.8 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Madrid, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Madrid, IA to Ames, IA covers 23.8 miles and takes about 34m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Kennedy Avenue, 230th Street, 220th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.8 miles on North Kennedy Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.72 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 23.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m 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
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 34m drive with frequent turns across 23.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Kennedy Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 10.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 around 0.4 miles in near IA 17; IA 210 / North Kennedy 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 34m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (IA 17; IA 210 / North Kennedy Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 11.5 miles (US 30 / 220th Street): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 17; IA 210 / North Kennedy Avenue
Turn left onto IA 17; IA 210 / North Kennedy Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
11.2 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the ramp toward US 30 East: Ames
Navigation decision point
Toward US 30 East: Ames
3
11.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 30 / 220th Street
Merge onto US 30 / 220th Street
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
20.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward Iowa State University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Iowa State University
4
23.8 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 35 Business / 13th Street
Turn right onto I 35 Business / 13th 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.
On the drive from Madrid, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa State University along the way.
Iowa State University
20.6 mi in
|
~27m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Kennedy Avenue | 10.8 mi | 15m |
| 230th Street | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| 220th Street | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| University Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South 4th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East 1st Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Grand Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Kennedy Avenue
— 10.8 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Madrid, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on IA 210
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
East 1st Street
2
Turn left onto IA 17; IA 210
11 mi
·
15 min
·
North Kennedy Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward US 30 East: Ames
4
Merge onto US 30
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
220th Street
5
Continue on US 30
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
230th Street
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Iowa State University
7
Turn left onto University Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
University Boulevard
8
Turn right onto South 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South 4th Street
9
Turn left onto South Grand Avenue
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Grand Avenue
10
Continue on I 35 Business; US 69
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Grand Avenue
11
Turn right onto I 35 Business
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
13th Street
12
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.72 one way
$7.44 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.09 | $8.17 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.58 | $9.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Ames, IA
Night in Ames on Friday
Local time
11:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 22 mph
28% 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
6 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
34m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Madrid, IA to Ames, IA covers 23.8 miles and takes about 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Kennedy Avenue, 230th Street, 220th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.9 miles from Madrid, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.72 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 is a straightforward 34m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (IA 17; IA 210 / North Kennedy Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 11.5 miles (US 30 / 220th Street): Merge point - match speed before joining.
On the drive from Madrid, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa State University along the way.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Ames, IA
More from Madrid, IA
More trips to Ames, IA
Explore more options from Madrid, IA or browse trips ending in Ames, IA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.