Trip from Urbandale, IA to Centerville, IA

Drive Time

2h 12m

Distance

94.4 mi

152 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min

4 AM

2h 3m ★

6 AM

2h 13m

8 AM

2h 31m

10 AM

2h 19m

12 PM

2h 17m

3 PM

2h 20m

5 PM

2h 30m

8 PM

2h 7m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Urbandale, IA

ZaetaFlow Sec

Centerville, IA

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

If you are planning a trip from Urbandale to Centerville, expect a straightforward 94.4-mile journey through the heart of the Midwest. The drive typically takes about 2 hours and 12 minutes, making it a manageable day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $14 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating this route involves transitioning from the urban surroundings of Urbandale onto IA 5, South Clinton Street, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. Because the route is relatively short, it offers plenty of flexibility for your schedule, allowing you to easily complete the trek in a single afternoon. Whether you are traveling for business or a quick getaway, this predictable path across Iowa is efficient and easy to navigate.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

47.2 miles from Urbandale, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 1m into the drive .

Drive Character

This trip is a highway-focused drive, with 61% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will face a longest uninterrupted stretch of 55.7 miles while traveling on IA 5, which defines the bulk of the experience behind the wheel. The road maintains a consistent pace, shifting away from the more congested areas near your starting point into the open stretches of the state. Because the majority of the journey relies on high-speed routes, you can expect a steady, rhythmic drive rather than a technical or winding course. Staying alert during those long highway miles is key, as the character of the road remains fairly uniform until you reach the final approach into Centerville.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

IA 5 is the longest continuous segment at about 55.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IA 5 and South Clinton Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 70th Street.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 2h 12m drive. You will face about 12 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 (70th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Roseland Drive): Navigation decision point; at 3.9 miles (IA 28 / 63rd Street;1st Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 70th Street

Turn left onto 70th Street

Navigation decision point

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Roseland Drive

Turn right onto Roseland Drive

Navigation decision point

3.9 mi into trip | ~8m in | IA 28 / 63rd Street;1st Street

Turn right onto IA 28 / 63rd Street;1st Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

9.5 mi into trip | ~17m in | IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway

Merge onto IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

94.3 mi into trip | ~2h 12m in | North 13th Street

Turn left onto North 13th Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
IA 5	55.7 mi	1h 13m
South Clinton Street	20.6 mi	30m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway	8.1 mi	9m
Southwest 63rd Street	2.5 mi	4m
State Highway 28	2.2 mi	3m
73rd Street	1.9 mi	3m
8th Street	0.6 mi	1m
72nd Street	0.6 mi	1m

Longest stretch: IA 5 — 55.7 mi, about 1h 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Urbandale, IA and Centerville, IA.

Start on Maryland Drive

13 ft · 5 sec · Maryland Drive

Turn left onto 70th Street

348 ft · 9 sec · 70th Street

Turn right onto Roseland Drive

0.2 mi · 1 min · Roseland Drive

Turn left onto 72nd Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · 72nd Street

Turn straight onto 73rd Street

1.9 mi · 3 min · 73rd Street

Use the none lane.

Continue on 8th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · 8th Street

Use the none lane.

Turn left onto Grand Avenue

0.5 mi · 56 sec · Grand Avenue

Turn right onto IA 28

0.4 mi · 45 sec · 63rd Street;1st Street

Use the right lane.

Continue on IA 28

2.5 mi · 4 min · Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street

Continue on IA 28

2.2 mi · 3 min · State Highway 28

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min

Merge onto IA 5

8.1 mi · 9 min · Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto IA 5

19 mi · 22 min · IA 5

Toward IA 5 South: Carlisle

Turn left onto IA 5; IA 92

11 mi · 11 min · IA 5; IA 92

Take the exit onto IA 5

0.5 mi · 1 min · IA 5

Turn right onto IA 5

26 mi · 37 min · IA 5

Turn straight onto IA 5

21 mi · 30 min · South Clinton Street

Turn right onto East Washington Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · East Washington Street

Turn left onto North 13th Street

359 ft · 15 sec · North 13th Street

Continue on North 13th Street

302 ft · 13 sec · North 13th Street

Arrive at destination

North 13th Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of your 94.4-mile trip, consider departing during off-peak hours to ensure a smooth transition out of the Urbandale area. Since the entire drive is roughly 2 hours and 12 minutes, you likely will not need a formal pit stop, but keeping $14 handy for fuel ensures you are prepared for the round trip. Take advantage of the route's simplicity by planning your arrival time around your specific goals in Centerville, as the lack of required stops gives you total control over your pace. One concrete tip for this drive is to pay close attention to signage when transitioning onto the Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway, as the shift between state roads can happen quickly. Keeping a steady speed on the 55.7-mile stretch of IA 5 will help you maintain your estimated arrival time.

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 47.2 miles from Urbandale, IA, or about 1h 1m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.7 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 80 miles or 1h 50m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 47.2 miles or 1h 1m 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 46m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Centerville, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Urbandale, 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 Urbandale, IA

This is one driving day of about 94.4 miles and 2h 12m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Urbandale, IA.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

The longest stretch is on IA 5 for about 55.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 47.2 mi from Urbandale, IA · 1h 1m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Des Moines, IA

47 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

Indiana, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Indiana, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 47.2 miles from Urbandale, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Centerville, IA

The final approach into Centerville, 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 Centerville, 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

$14.34 one way

$28.68 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 33 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$15.81	$31.61
premium	$4.80	$17.82	$35.64
diesel	$5.64	$20.97	$41.94

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 33 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	28.3	$9.91	$4.53
Efficient EV	23.6	$8.26	$3.78
EV Truck/SUV	37.8	$13.22	$6.04

Gas CO2

33 kg

EV CO2

11 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Urbandale, IA

Afternoon in Urbandale on Sunday

Local time

3:30 PM

CDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Centerville, IA

Afternoon in Centerville on Sunday

Local time

3:30 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°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

6 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

2h 12m 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 Urbandale, IA to Centerville, IA covers 94.4 miles and takes about 2h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are IA 5, South Clinton Street, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 47.2 miles from Urbandale, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.34 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 2h 12m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The route from Urbandale, IA to Centerville, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Centerville, IA to Urbandale, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

94.3 mi 2h 12m

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