Origin
Sioux City, IA
Evening in Sioux City on Thursday
Local time
6:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sioux City, IA to Fairfield, IA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
5h 53m
Distance
312.3 mi
503 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$49
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 40m
★
6 AM
5h 53m
8 AM
6h 20m
10 AM
6h 3m
12 PM
6h 0m
3 PM
6h 4m
5 PM
6h 18m
8 PM
5h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sioux City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Fairfield, IA
Daniel Dorfer
Trip Overview
The drive from Sioux City, IA to Fairfield, IA covers 312.3 miles and takes about 5h 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 9th Street, Court Street, 5th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $48.82 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
156.2 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 56m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 53m. Total distance: 312.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 53m drive with frequent turns across 312.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
9th 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.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 53m 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 City, IA to Fairfield, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 9th Street | — | — |
| Court Street | — | — |
| 5th Street | — | — |
| Floyd Boulevard | — | — |
| I 29 South | — | — |
| I 880 East | — | — |
| I 80 East | — | — |
| I 35 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
9th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Fairfield, IA.
1
Start on the route
115 ft
·
14 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left onto 9th Street
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
9th Street
3
Turn right onto Court Street
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Court Street
4
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
5th Street
5
Turn right onto Floyd Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Floyd Boulevard
6
Take the ramp left toward I 29 South
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 29 South
7
Merge slight left
76 mi
·
1 hr 21 min
8
Take the exit slight right toward I 880 East: Des Moines
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 880 East: Des Moines
9
Continue straight
16 mi
·
17 min
10
Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: Des Moines
0.7 mi
·
44 sec
·
I 80 East: Des Moines
11
Merge slight right
95 mi
·
1 hr 41 min
12
Keep slight right to continue on I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
13
Take the exit slight right toward I 35 South: Kansas City
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 35 South: Kansas City
14
Merge slight left
3.8 mi
·
4 min
15
Take the exit slight right toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk
16
Continue on Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
17
Take the exit slight right toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
19 mi
·
22 min
·
IA 5 South: Carlisle
18
Turn left
32 mi
·
36 min
19
Take the exit right
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
20
Merge slight left
49 mi
·
56 min
21
Take the exit slight right toward US 34 Business: Convention Center
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
US 34 Business: Convention Center
22
Turn left onto Old US 34
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Old US 34
23
Continue on West Burlington Avenue
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Burlington Avenue
24
Turn left onto North 2nd Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
North 2nd Street
25
Turn right onto West Briggs Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
West Briggs Avenue
26
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 156.2 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 2h 56m 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 69 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 156.2 miles or 2h 56m 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fairfield, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sioux City, 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 City, IA
This is one driving day of about 312.3 miles and 5h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 69 miles from Sioux City, 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 156.2 mi from Sioux City, IA · 2h 56m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
156 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 69 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 156.2 miles from Sioux City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fairfield, IA
The final approach into Fairfield, 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 Fairfield, 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
$48.82 one way
$97.65 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
109 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $53.61 | $107.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $60.10 | $120.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $68.95 | $137.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$49
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$74–$99
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 109.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 93.7 | 1 | $32.79 | $14.99 |
| Efficient EV | 78.1 | 0 | $27.33 | $12.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 124.9 | 1 | $43.72 | $19.99 |
Gas CO2
109 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (66% 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
Fairfield, IA
Evening in Fairfield on Thursday
Local time
6:35 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
2 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 53m 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 City, IA to Fairfield, IA covers 312.3 miles and takes about 5h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 9th Street, Court Street, 5th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 156.2 miles from Sioux City, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $48.82 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 53m 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 City, IA to Fairfield, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Sioux City, IA to Fairfield, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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