The drive from Red Oak, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 239 miles and takes about 4h 54m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 6, Lincoln Highway, Northeast Hubbell Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 62 miles on US 6.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.36 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
119.5 miles from Red Oak, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 31m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 54m. Total distance: 239 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Red Oak, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 239 miles and takes about 4h 54m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 6 is the longest continuous segment at about 62 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 108.6 miles in near I 80.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 239 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: at 108.6 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 123 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.5 miles (US 65): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
108.6 mi into trip|~2h 18m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123B
Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, K...
6
123 mi into trip|~2h 35m in|I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
127.5 mi into trip|~2h 40m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
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 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
7
236.4 mi into trip|~4h 49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
7
236.5 mi into trip|~4h 49m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Red Oak, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Bondurant and Marion.
Minneapolis
108.6 mi in|~2h 18m|via I 80
Kansas City
108.6 mi in|~2h 18m|via I 80
Bondurant
127.5 mi in|~2h 40m|via US 65
Marion
226.9 mi in|~4h 37m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 6
62 mi
1h 7m
Lincoln Highway
37 mi
42m
Northeast Hubbell Road
33.5 mi
39m
73rd Street
26.8 mi
30m
I 80
18.9 mi
21m
North Broadway Street
14 mi
20m
550th Street
10 mi
14m
White Pole Road
9 mi
13m
Longest stretch:
US 6
— 62 mi, about 1h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Red Oak, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.
1
Start on East Reed Street
0.4 mi·1 min·East Reed Street
2
Turn right onto IA 48
14 mi·20 min·North Broadway Street
3
Continue on IA 48
0.9 mi·1 min·M Avenue
4
Continue on IA 48
4.8 mi·7 min·550th Street
5
Continue on IA 48
1.0 mi·1 min·Adair Street
6
Continue on IA 48
5.3 mi·7 min·550th Street
7
Turn right onto US 6
8.9 mi·13 min·White Pole Road
8
Continue on US 6
0.8 mi·1 min·Southwest 7th Street
9
Continue on US 6
0.6 mi·1 min·West 7th Street
10
Continue on US 6
0.1 mi·22 sec·White Pole Road
11
Continue on US 6; IA 83
3.5 mi·6 min·East 7th Street
12
Turn left onto US 6; US 71
6.4 mi·8 min·650th Street
13
Take the exit onto US 6
62 mi·1 hr 7 min·US 6
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
14 mi·16 min·I 80
Exit 123BToward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
4.5 mi·5 min·I 80
Use the slight left lane.
16
Take the exit onto US 65
0.5 mi·1 min·US 65
Exit 142Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, BondurantUse the slight right lane.
17
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·Northeast Hubbell Avenue
18
Continue on US 65; IA 330
33 mi·39 min·Northeast Hubbell Road
19
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
20
Merge onto US 30
37 mi·42 min·Lincoln Highway
21
Continue on US 30
27 mi·30 min·73rd Street
22
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Toward IA 100 East: Cedar Rapids, Marion
23
Continue on IA 100
8.3 mi·9 min·IA 100
24
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I-380, IA 27: Iowa City, Waterloo
25
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·15 sec
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
26
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I-380 south, IA 27 south: Iowa City
27
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
0.5 mi·38 sec·Avenue of the Saints
28
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
29
Keep slight left at fork
121 ft·4 sec
30
Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast
1.3 mi·2 min·32nd Street Northeast
31
Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft·10 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
32
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
177 ft·7 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
33
Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast
428 ft·18 sec·Tiperary Drive Northeast
34
Arrive at destination
Tiperary Drive Northeast
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 119.5 miles from Red Oak, IA, or about 2h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62 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 53 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 119.5 miles or 2h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Rapids, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Red Oak, 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 Red Oak, IA
This is one driving day of about 239 miles and 4h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 miles from Red Oak, 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 US 6 for about 62 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 119.5 mi from Red Oak, IA
· 2h 31m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71.7
0
$25.10
$11.47
Efficient EV
59.8
0
$20.91
$9.56
EV Truck/SUV
95.6
1
$33.46
$15.30
Gas CO2
84 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Red Oak, IA
Morning
in Red Oak on Saturday
Local time
8:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Morning
in Cedar Rapids on Saturday
Local time
8:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
27 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
4h 54m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Red Oak, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 239 miles and takes about 4h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 6, Lincoln Highway, Northeast Hubbell Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 119.5 miles from Red Oak, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $37.36 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 239 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: at 108.6 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 123 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.5 miles (US 65): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Red Oak, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Bondurant and Marion.
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.
