Origin
Sioux Center, IA
Morning in Sioux Center on Sunday
Local time
10:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sioux Center, IA to Dubuque, IA
Drive Time
5h 21m
Distance
327.1 mi
526 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$50
one way
Photo: Quang Nguyen Vinh
Trip Overview
The drive from Sioux Center, IA to Dubuque, IA covers 327.1 miles and takes about 5h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 450th Street, Highway 10 West, 8th Street Southwest for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $49.68 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
163.6 miles from Sioux Center, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 40m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 21m drive with frequent turns across 327.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
450th 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 21m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sioux Center, IA to Dubuque, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 450th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 10 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 8th Street Southwest | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Kennedy Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 10 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 460th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Kiwi Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| County Road L14 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
450th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux Center, IA and Dubuque, IA.
1
Start on North Main Avenue
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
North Main Avenue
2
Turn left onto 450th Street
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
450th Street
3
Continue on Highway 10 West
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Highway 10 West
4
Continue on 8th Street Southwest
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
8th Street Southwest
5
Continue on 450th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
450th Street
6
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward 450th Street
79 ft
·
5 sec
·
450th Street
7
Exit the roundabout onto 450th Street
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
450th Street
8
Turn right onto Kennedy Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Kennedy Avenue
9
Continue on State Highway 10
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
State Highway 10
10
Continue on 460th Street
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
460th Street
11
Turn right onto Kiwi Avenue
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Kiwi Avenue
12
Continue on County Road L14
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
County Road L14
13
Continue on State Highway 140
15 mi
·
20 min
·
State Highway 140
14
Turn left onto 320th Street
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
320th Street
15
Turn right onto Shamrock Avenue
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Shamrock Avenue
16
Continue on Lee Avenue
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Lee Avenue
17
Turn left onto Highway 20
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Highway 20
18
Continue on United States Highway 20
8.3 mi
·
10 min
·
United States Highway 20
19
Continue on 220th Street
166 mi
·
3 hr 11 min
·
220th Street
20
Keep slight left
81 mi
·
1 hr 36 min
21
Turn left onto South Locust Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Locust Street
22
Turn straight onto IA 946
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
IA 946
23
At the end of the road, turn left
420 ft
·
13 sec
24
Take the exit slight right toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
White Street, Port of Dubuque
25
Continue on White Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
White Street
26
Turn left onto East 7th Street
285 ft
·
20 sec
·
East 7th Street
27
Turn left onto Central Avenue
33 ft
·
1 sec
·
Central Avenue
28
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 163.6 miles from Sioux Center, IA, or about 2h 40m 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 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 163.6 miles or 2h 40m 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 23m
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 Sioux Center, 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 Sioux Center, IA
This is one driving day of about 327.1 miles and 5h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Sioux Center, 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 163.6 mi from Sioux Center, IA · 2h 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
164 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 163.6 miles from Sioux Center, 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
$49.68 one way
$99.37 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
114 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $54.77 | $109.54 |
| premium | $4.80 | $61.75 | $123.50 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $72.67 | $145.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 114.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 98.1 | 1 | $34.35 | $15.70 |
| Efficient EV | 81.8 | 0 | $28.62 | $13.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 130.8 | 1 | $45.79 | $20.93 |
Gas CO2
114 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Morning in Dubuque on Sunday
Local time
10:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
42°F
Ames, IA
164 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
9 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
5h 21m 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 Sioux Center, IA to Dubuque, IA covers 327.1 miles and takes about 5h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 450th Street, Highway 10 West, 8th Street Southwest. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 163.6 miles from Sioux Center, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $49.68 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 straightforward 5h 21m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sioux Center, IA to Dubuque, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Sioux Center, IA to Dubuque, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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