This 164.8-mile drive from Manson, IA to Indiana, IA is a straightforward, single-day trip, estimated to take about 3 hours and 16 minutes. Primarily utilizing I 35, US 20, and IA 5, you'll spend about 87% of your time on highways, making it a focused driving experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $26, it's an economical choice for a quick hop within Iowa's Midwest region. This route is well-suited for a day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. Consider it a practical way to cover ground efficiently.
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
82.4 miles from Manson, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 38m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 16m. Total distance: 164.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this journey, with 87% of the route on interstates and major highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 54.7 miles, primarily on I 35, offering a good opportunity for consistent cruising. While the profile is largely highway, the inclusion of US 20 and IA 5 suggests a potential for varied highway types, from faster interstates to slightly more varied state routes. The overall feel is one of efficient travel, designed to get you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 54.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 20. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 10th Avenue.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 164.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (10th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 57.3 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|10th Avenue
Turn left onto 10th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|8th Street
At end of road, turn left onto 8th Street
Navigation decision point
5
57.3 mi into trip|~1h 10m in|I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
111.8 mi into trip|~2h 10m in|I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
8
115.4 mi into trip|~2h 15m in
Take the exit toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 141
Toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des Moines
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Manson, IA and Indiana, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport and Des Moines.
Council Bluffs
111.8 mi in|~2h 10m|via I 35
Davenport
111.8 mi in|~2h 10m|via I 35
Des Moines
115.4 mi in|~2h 15m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
54.7 mi
59m
US 20
50.2 mi
57m
IA 5
35.4 mi
42m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
10.7 mi
12m
Tabor Avenue
3.5 mi
6m
I 80
2.6 mi
2m
County Highway G76
2 mi
3m
Sigourney Avenue
1.6 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 54.7 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Manson, IA and Indiana, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
35 ft·7 sec·Main Street
2
Turn left onto 10th Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·10th Avenue
3
At end of road, turn left onto 8th Street
0.4 mi·38 sec·8th Street
4
Continue on Tabor Avenue
0.5 mi·54 sec·Tabor Avenue
5
Turn right onto IA 7
25 ft·5 sec·190th Street
6
Turn left onto Tabor Avenue
3.0 mi·5 min·Tabor Avenue
7
At end of road, turn right onto D26
0.7 mi·59 sec·220th Street
8
Turn left onto CR N65
1.6 mi·2 min·Sigourney Avenue
9
Turn left onto US 20
50 mi·57 min·US 20
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
11
Merge onto I 35
54 mi·59 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
0.2 mi·12 sec·I 35
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
13
Take the exit
0.8 mi·2 min
Exit 137AToward I 80 East: Davenport
14
Merge onto I 80
2.6 mi·2 min·I 80
15
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 141Toward US 65 South: Altoona, Des MoinesUse the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto US 65
11 mi·12 min·Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
18
Continue on IA 5
19 mi·21 min·IA 5
19
Turn left onto IA 5; IA 92
11 mi·11 min·IA 5; IA 92
20
Take the exit onto IA 5
0.5 mi·1 min·IA 5
21
Turn right onto IA 5
5.8 mi·8 min·IA 5
22
Turn sharp right onto CR G76
0.2 mi·24 sec·County Highway G76
23
Continue on CR G76
1.9 mi·3 min·County Highway G76
24
Arrive at destination
CR G76
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just over 3 hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day, giving you flexibility on when to depart. Leaving in the morning will allow you to arrive well before evening, with plenty of time to settle in. You'll encounter one major stretch of 54.7 miles on I 35, so plan for a potential fuel or rest stop before or after this segment if needed. Given the straightforward highway nature, focus on maintaining your pace and enjoying the steady progress towards Indiana, IA. The estimated fuel cost of $26 makes it an affordable journey.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 82.4 miles from Manson, IA, or about 1h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.7 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 36 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 82.4 miles or 1h 38m 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 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Indiana, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Manson, 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 Manson, IA
This is one driving day of about 164.8 miles and 3h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Manson, 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 I 35 for about 54.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 82.4 mi from Manson, IA
· 1h 38m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
49.4
0
$17.30
$7.91
Efficient EV
41.2
0
$14.42
$6.59
EV Truck/SUV
65.9
0
$23.07
$10.55
Gas CO2
58 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Manson, IA
Evening
in Manson on Thursday
Local time
8:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Sunny
S 15 to 22 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 12:02PM CDT until April 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 11:30AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Indiana, IA
Evening
in Indiana on Thursday
Local time
8:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Sunny
SSW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 12:02PM CDT until April 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 11:30AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
1 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
3h 16m 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 Manson, IA to Indiana, IA covers 164.8 miles and takes about 3h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, US 20, IA 5. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 82.4 miles from Manson, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.76 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 164.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (10th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 57.3 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Manson, IA and Indiana, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport and Des Moines.
