Origin
Malvern, IA
Late night in Malvern on Saturday
Local time
5:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Malvern, IA to Council Bluffs, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
30.9 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Malvern, IA
Yusuf Çelik
Council Bluffs, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Malvern, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 30.9 miles and takes about 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 275, US 34, South Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.1 miles on US 275. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.59 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 30.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 44m highway drive covering 30.9 miles, with most of the trip on US 275 and US 34. The longest continuous stretch is about 14.1 miles on US 275.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 275 is the longest continuous segment at about 14.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 275 and US 34. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near US 34.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Malvern, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is easy. At 44m with 90% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles (US 34): Navigation decision point; at 28.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 30.3 miles (Willow Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 34
Turn left onto US 34
Navigation decision point
5
28.2 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 49
Toward Downtown
4
30.3 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
Willow Avenue
Turn left onto Willow Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
30.5 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
South 8th Street
At end of road, turn right onto South 8th Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
3
30.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
West Broadway
Turn left onto West Broadway
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 Malvern, IA to Council Bluffs, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
Downtown
28.2 mi in
|
~38m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 275 | 14.1 mi | 16m |
| US 34 | 12.2 mi | 18m |
| South Expressway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| County Highway L63 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| West Broadway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 6th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South 8th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 275
— 14.1 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Malvern, IA and Council Bluffs, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
2
Continue on County Highway L63
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
County Highway L63
3
Turn left onto US 34
12 mi
·
18 min
·
US 34
4
Take the ramp onto US 275
14 mi
·
16 min
·
US 275
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 49
Toward Downtown
6
Turn left onto South Expressway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South Expressway
7
Continue on South 6th Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
South 6th Street
8
Turn left onto Willow Avenue
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Willow Avenue
9
At end of road, turn right onto South 8th Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
South 8th Street
10
Turn left onto West Broadway
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
West Broadway
11
Arrive at destination
West Broadway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.59 one way
$9.18 round trip
$3.77/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $5.17 | $10.35 |
| premium | $4.65 | $5.66 | $11.32 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $6.45 | $12.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.24 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Council Bluffs, IA
Late night in Council Bluffs on Saturday
Local time
5:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°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
3 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
44m 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 Malvern, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 30.9 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 275, US 34, South Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.5 miles from Malvern, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.59 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.
The drive from Malvern, IA to Council Bluffs, IA is easy. At 44m with 90% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles (US 34): Navigation decision point; at 28.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 30.3 miles (Willow Avenue): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Malvern, IA to Council Bluffs, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown 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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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