Origin
Ottumwa, IA
Afternoon in Ottumwa on Sunday
Local time
1:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ottumwa, IA to Dubuque, IA
Drive Time
3h 6m
Distance
179.2 mi
288 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$27
one way
Photo: Quang Nguyen Vinh
Trip Overview
The drive from Ottumwa, IA to Dubuque, IA covers 179.2 miles and takes about 3h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Wapello Street, Highway 63, Highway 149 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.22 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
89.6 miles from Ottumwa, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 33m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 6m drive with frequent turns across 179.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Wapello 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 Ottumwa, IA to Dubuque, IA is easy. At 3h 6m 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 Ottumwa, IA to Dubuque, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Wapello Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 63 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 149 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West 6th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Jackson Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 92 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
North Wapello Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ottumwa, IA and Dubuque, IA.
1
Start on West Fourth Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
West Fourth Street
2
Turn right onto North Wapello Street
397 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Wapello Street
3
Continue on Old US Highway 63
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Old US Highway 63
4
Continue on State Highway 149
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
State Highway 149
5
Continue on State Highway 149
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 149
6
Continue on West 6th Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West 6th Street
7
Continue on State Highway 149
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 149
8
Continue on Main Street
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Main Street
9
Continue on State Highway 149
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 149
10
Continue on State Highway 149
10 mi
·
14 min
·
State Highway 149
11
Continue on South Main Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
12
Turn right onto East Jackson Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jackson Street
13
Continue on State Highway 92
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
State Highway 92
14
Turn left onto State Highway 149
11 mi
·
15 min
·
State Highway 149
15
Continue on Main Street
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Main Street
16
Turn left onto State Highway 149
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
State Highway 149
17
Continue on M Avenue
12 mi
·
16 min
·
M Avenue
18
Take the ramp left
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
19
Merge slight left
29 mi
·
31 min
20
Take the exit slight right toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
IA 1: Mount Vernon
21
Turn left onto North Dodge Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Dodge Street
22
Continue on Highway 1 Northeast
7.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Highway 1 Northeast
23
Continue on South Market Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Market Street
24
Continue on Highway 1 Northeast
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Highway 1 Northeast
25
Continue on State Highway 1
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
State Highway 1
26
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward State Highway 1
131 ft
·
6 sec
·
State Highway 1
27
Exit the roundabout onto State Highway 1
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
State Highway 1
28
Continue on 1st Avenue South
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
1st Avenue South
29
Continue on State Highway 1
10 mi
·
13 min
·
State Highway 1
30
Take the ramp right
0.5 mi
·
1 min
31
Merge slight left
45 mi
·
51 min
32
Keep slight left
5.1 mi
·
7 min
33
Keep slight left
1.1 mi
·
1 min
34
Take the exit slight right toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
White Street, Port of Dubuque
35
Continue on White Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
White Street
36
Turn left onto East 7th Street
285 ft
·
20 sec
·
East 7th Street
37
Turn left onto Central Avenue
33 ft
·
1 sec
·
Central Avenue
38
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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 89.6 miles from Ottumwa, IA, or about 1h 33m 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 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 89.6 miles or 1h 33m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dubuque, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ottumwa, 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 Ottumwa, IA
This is one driving day of about 179.2 miles and 3h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Ottumwa, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 89.6 mi from Ottumwa, IA · 1h 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
90 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 89.6 miles from Ottumwa, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Dubuque, IA
The final approach into Dubuque, 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 Dubuque, 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
$27.22 one way
$54.44 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
63 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $30.01 | $60.01 |
| premium | $4.80 | $33.83 | $67.66 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $39.81 | $79.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 53.8 | 0 | $18.82 | $8.60 |
| Efficient EV | 44.8 | 0 | $15.68 | $7.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 71.7 | 0 | $25.09 | $11.47 |
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 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
Dubuque, IA
Afternoon in Dubuque on Sunday
Local time
1:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 6m 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 Ottumwa, IA to Dubuque, IA covers 179.2 miles and takes about 3h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Wapello Street, Highway 63, Highway 149. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 89.6 miles from Ottumwa, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.22 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.
The drive from Ottumwa, IA to Dubuque, IA is easy. At 3h 6m 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 Ottumwa, IA to Dubuque, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ottumwa, IA to Dubuque, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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