Trip from Muscatine, IA to Marshalltown, IA

Drive Time

2h 16m

Distance

129.3 mi

208 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Photo: Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

Connecting Muscatine to Marshalltown, this 129.3-mile journey takes approximately 2 hours and 16 minutes to complete. Because the route is relatively short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You should budget about $19 for fuel to cover the entire trek through the heart of the Midwest. Navigating through local streets like East 3rd Street, Mulberry Avenue, and East 2nd Street requires your full attention compared to a standard highway haul. Since there are no designated stops on this path, you have the flexibility to make your own schedule. Overall, this drive is a straightforward local connection that serves as a practical link between these two Iowa cities.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

64.7 miles from Muscatine, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that feels quite different from the typical interstate experience. Because 0% of this 129.3-mile route consists of highways, you will spend the entire time maneuvering through local traffic and city intersections. You won't find any long, monotonous stretches here; in fact, the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on East 3rd Street. This lack of highway travel means your speed will be lower and the pace more consistent with urban driving. Behind the wheel, you should stay alert, as the constant turns demand a more active driving style than cruising down a wide-open rural road.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

East 3rd Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Muscatine, IA to Marshalltown, IA is easy. At 2h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Muscatine, IA to Marshalltown, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
East 3rd Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Mulberry Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
East 2nd Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Park Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Highway 38	Unavailable	Refreshing
Grand Army of the Republic Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Rose Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 380	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: East 3rd Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Muscatine, IA and Marshalltown, IA.

Start on Walnut Street

157 ft · 11 sec · Walnut Street

Turn left onto East 3rd Street

361 ft · 18 sec · East 3rd Street

Turn right onto Mulberry Avenue

331 ft · 10 sec · Mulberry Avenue

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward East 2nd Street

194 ft · 4 sec · East 2nd Street

Exit the roundabout onto East 2nd Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East 2nd Street

Continue on Park Avenue

2.0 mi · 4 min · Park Avenue

Continue on State Highway 38

7.6 mi · 10 min · State Highway 38

Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

2.1 mi · 3 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

Continue on Rose Avenue

2.7 mi · 4 min · Rose Avenue

Take the ramp straight

0.3 mi · 36 sec

Merge slight left

31 mi · 33 min

Take the exit slight right toward I 380, US 218, IA 27

0.4 mi · 45 sec · I 380, US 218, IA 27

Keep slight right to continue on I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo

Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints

16 mi · 17 min · Avenue of the Saints

Take the exit slight right toward US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North: Tama

34 mi · 39 min · US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North: Tama

Continue on Lincoln Highway

32 mi · 36 min · Lincoln Highway

Take the exit slight right

0.4 mi · 48 sec

Turn right onto South Center Street

2.3 mi · 3 min · South Center Street

Turn right onto East Anson Street

0.3 mi · 30 sec · East Anson Street

Turn left onto South 3rd Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · South 3rd Avenue

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 129.3-mile trip, aim to depart during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion on the local roads that make up your path. Since the drive takes just over two hours, you can easily complete it in one go, but keeping your $19 fuel budget in mind is essential before you head out. Because you won't be traveling on high-speed highways, your travel time will be more sensitive to local traffic patterns and stop-and-go conditions. Prioritize checking your navigation before leaving Muscatine, as the turn-heavy nature of the route requires frequent attention to your turns on Mulberry Avenue and East 2nd Street. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, so feel free to pull over whenever you need a break from the local city navigation.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 64.7 miles from Muscatine, IA, or about 1h 8m into the drive.

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 80 miles or 1h 24m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 64.7 miles or 1h 8m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 52m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Marshalltown, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Muscatine, 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 Muscatine, IA

This is one driving day of about 129.3 miles and 2h 16m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Muscatine, IA.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 64.7 mi from Muscatine, IA · 1h 8m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Iowa City, IA

65 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.

Popular next leg

Iowa City, IA to Marshalltown, IA

92.2 mi · 1h 37m

Pacing Suggestions

Cedar Rapids, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Iowa City, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 64.7 miles from Muscatine, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Marshalltown, IA

The final approach into Marshalltown, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Marshalltown, IA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$19.64 one way

$39.28 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 45 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$21.65	$43.30
premium	$4.80	$24.41	$48.82
diesel	$5.64	$28.73	$57.45

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 45.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	38.8	$13.58	$6.21
Efficient EV	32.3	$11.31	$5.17
EV Truck/SUV	51.7	$18.10	$8.28

Gas CO2

45 kg

EV CO2

15 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 data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Muscatine, IA

Afternoon in Muscatine on Sunday

Local time

1:21 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Marshalltown, IA

Afternoon in Marshalltown on Sunday

Local time

1:21 PM

CDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

5 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

2h 16m 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 Muscatine, IA to Marshalltown, IA covers 129.3 miles and takes about 2h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are East 3rd Street, Mulberry Avenue, East 2nd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 64.7 miles from Muscatine, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.64 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 Muscatine, IA to Marshalltown, IA is easy. At 2h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Muscatine, IA to Marshalltown, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Muscatine, IA to Marshalltown, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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