The drive from New London, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 84.6 miles and takes about 1h 41m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, US 34, 260th Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 75.6 miles on Avenue of the Saints.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.23 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42.3 miles from New London, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 41m. Total distance: 84.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 41m drive with frequent turns across 84.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 75.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Oak Street.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 84.6 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (US 34; IA 163): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 82.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North Oak Street
Turn right onto North Oak Street
Navigation decision point
5
6.4 mi into trip|~9m in|US 34; IA 163
Take the exit onto US 34; IA 163 toward US 218, IA 27 North: Iowa City, Fairfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 218, IA 27 North: Iowa City, Fairfiel...
5
82.8 mi into trip|~1h 37m in
Take the exit toward Glass Road, 32nd Street, Coldstream, 29th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
25.4
0
$8.88
$4.06
Efficient EV
21.2
0
$7.40
$3.38
EV Truck/SUV
33.8
0
$11.84
$5.41
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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 15, 2026
Origin
New London, IA
Late night
in New London on Saturday
Local time
1:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Late night
in Cedar Rapids on Saturday
Local time
1:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Riverside, IA
42 mi in
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
3 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
1h 41m 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 New London, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 84.6 miles and takes about 1h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, US 34, 260th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 42.3 miles from New London, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.23 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 84.6 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (US 34; IA 163): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 82.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from New London, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Fairfield 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
