Origin
Norwalk, IA
Morning in Norwalk on Saturday
Local time
7:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Norwalk, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
13m
Distance
8.1 mi
13 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 16m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 14m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Norwalk, IA
Wikimedia Commons
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Norwalk, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 8.1 miles and takes about 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Highway 28, Southwest 63rd Street, Sunset Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5 miles on State Highway 28. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 13m. Total distance: 8.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 13m highway drive covering 8.1 miles, with most of the trip on State Highway 28 and Southwest 63rd Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 5 miles on State Highway 28.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 6 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Highway 28 is the longest continuous segment at about 5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 28 and Southwest 63rd Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near IA 28 / Sunset Drive.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Norwalk, IA to West Des Moines, IA is easy. At 13m with 62% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (IA 28 / Sunset Drive): Navigation decision point; at 7.7 miles (Vine Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
2 of 2 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 28 / Sunset Drive
Turn right onto IA 28 / Sunset Drive
Navigation decision point
3
7.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Vine Street
Turn left onto Vine Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 28 | 5 mi | 7m |
| Southwest 63rd Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| Sunset Drive | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Vine Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 28
— 5 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Norwalk, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
0.2 mi
·
56 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto IA 28
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Sunset Drive
3
Continue on IA 28
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
State Highway 28
4
Continue on IA 28
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Southwest 63rd Street
5
Turn left onto Vine Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Vine Street
6
Arrive at destination
Vine Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.27 one way
$2.53 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.39 | $2.78 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.56 | $3.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.79 | $3.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.85 | $0.39 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.71 | $0.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.13 | $0.52 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Destination
West Des Moines, IA
Morning in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
7:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
37°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 10 to 14 mph
6% 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
37 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
13m 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 Norwalk, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 8.1 miles and takes about 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Highway 28, Southwest 63rd Street, Sunset Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4 miles from Norwalk, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.27 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 Norwalk, IA to West Des Moines, IA is easy. At 13m with 62% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (IA 28 / Sunset Drive): Navigation decision point; at 7.7 miles (Vine Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Norwalk, IA to West Des Moines, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
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