Saint Ansgar to Waterloo is 83.6 miles and takes about 1 hour and 47 minutes via Avenue of the Saints/US 218, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest region, taking you across Iowa on a mix of highways. It's a straightforward trip, perfect for a single-day journey when you want to get from point A to point B without a lot of fuss. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient connection between these two Iowa towns.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
41.8 miles from Saint Ansgar, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 57m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 83.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This drive offers a mixed experience, with 34% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on the Avenue of the Saints and US 218, offering a blend of faster travel and potentially more local road conditions. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 49.3 miles on the Avenue of the Saints, giving you a good segment of consistent driving. Expect the road character to evolve as you transition between these different thoroughfares.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 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 49.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 105 / West 4th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 47m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 105 / West 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles (US 218; IA 9 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 27.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 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|CR 105 / West 4th Street
Turn right onto CR 105 / West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
4
11.9 mi into trip|~17m in|US 218; IA 9 / Main Street
Turn left onto US 218; IA 9 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
27.3 mi into trip|~40m in
Take the ramp toward US 18 east, US 218 south, IA 27 south: Waterloo
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 18 east, US 218 south, IA 27 south: W...
5
83.1 mi into trip|~1h 46m in
Take the exit toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 49.3 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Ansgar, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on Train Lane
59 ft·7 sec·Train Lane
2
Turn right onto CR 105
0.4 mi·1 min·West 4th Street
3
Continue on US 218
11 mi·14 min·United States Highway 218
4
Continue on US 218
0.8 mi·2 min·North 7th Street
5
Turn left onto US 218; IA 9
1.0 mi·2 min·Main Street
6
Continue on US 218; IA 9
3.0 mi·4 min·County Road T42
7
Turn right onto US 218
11 mi·16 min·US 218
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward US 18 east, US 218 south, IA 27 south: Waterloo
9
Merge onto US 18; US 218; IA 27
49 mi·56 min·Avenue of the Saints
10
Take the exit
317 ft·7 sec
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
11
Continue on US 218
0.3 mi·39 sec·US 218
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
12
Merge onto US 218
5.8 mi·6 min·Leo P Rooff Expressway
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
14
Turn straight onto Washington Street
0.2 mi·21 sec·Washington Street
15
Turn right onto West 4th Street
76 ft·2 sec·West 4th Street
16
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Trip Plan
With a drive time under two hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. You'll want to leave Saint Ansgar with enough time to comfortably reach Waterloo, perhaps departing mid-morning to avoid early rush or late-day fatigue. Since it's a relatively short drive, you can be flexible with your timing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 49.3-mile stretch on the Avenue of the Saints, as services might be less frequent during that segment.
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 41.8 miles from Saint Ansgar, IA, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.3 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 18 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41.8 miles or 57m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waterloo, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Saint Ansgar, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Saint Ansgar, IA
This is one driving day of about 83.6 miles and 1h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Saint Ansgar, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 49.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 41.8 mi from Saint Ansgar, IA
· 57m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.07 one way
$26.14 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$14.35
$28.70
premium
$4.89
$16.09
$32.18
diesel
$5.61
$18.46
$36.92
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
5 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Tesla Supercharger
Waterloo, Iowa
Tesla
1 DCFC
Shell Recharge Charging Station
Charles City, Iowa
Shell Recharge
1 DCFC
Shell Recharge Charging Station
Waterloo, Iowa
Shell Recharge
1 DCFC
Blink Charging Station
Shell Rock, Iowa
Blink
1 DCFC
Blink Charging Station
Charles City, Iowa
Blink
1 DCFC
Shell Recharge: 2
Blink: 2
Tesla: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
25.1
0
$8.78
$4.01
Efficient EV
20.9
0
$7.31
$3.34
EV Truck/SUV
33.4
0
$11.70
$5.35
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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 17, 2026
Origin
Saint Ansgar, IA
Night
in Saint Ansgar on Friday
Local time
9:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 23 mph53% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 3:26PM CDT until April 17 at 4:30PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
Tornado Warning
Tornado Warning issued April 17 at 3:26PM CDT until April 17 at 3:45PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
Destination
Waterloo, IA
Night
in Waterloo on Friday
Local time
9:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 18 to 22 mph53% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 3:26PM CDT until April 17 at 4:30PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
Tornado Warning
Tornado Warning issued April 17 at 3:26PM CDT until April 17 at 3:45PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
47°F
Clarksville, 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
4 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
1h 47m 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 Saint Ansgar, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 83.6 miles and takes about 1h 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, US 218, United States Highway 218. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 41.8 miles from Saint Ansgar, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.07 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 is a straightforward 1h 47m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 105 / West 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles (US 218; IA 9 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 27.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Saint Ansgar, IA to Waterloo, 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
