Origin
Waterloo, IA
Late night in Waterloo on Saturday
Local time
12:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waterloo, IA to Aplington, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
32.7 mi
53 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Aplington, IA
Ann H
Trip Overview
The drive from Waterloo, IA to Aplington, IA covers 32.7 miles and takes about 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on U Avenue, US 218, 1st Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.1 miles on U Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.11 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 32.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (22%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 47m drive with frequent turns across 32.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
U Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 10.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Washington Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Waterloo, IA to Aplington, IA is easy. At 47m with 22% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.7 miles (IA 57 / U Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 27.8 miles (IA 57 / Buswell Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
3 of 3 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Washington Street
Turn right onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
4
17.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
IA 57 / U Avenue
Keep slight right at fork onto IA 57 / U Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
27.8 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
IA 57 / Buswell Street
Turn left onto IA 57 / Buswell Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| U Avenue | 10.1 mi | 14m |
| US 218 | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| 1st Street | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| Buswell Street | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| 110th Street | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Washington Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 4th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Parrott Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
U Avenue
— 10.1 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterloo, IA and Aplington, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
76 ft
·
6 sec
·
West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Washington Street
3
Continue on US 218
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
US 218
4
Continue on 1st Street
6.2 mi
·
10 min
·
1st Street
5
Continue on IA 57
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
110th Street
6
Keep slight right at fork onto IA 57
10 mi
·
14 min
·
U Avenue
7
Turn left onto IA 57
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Buswell Street
8
Arrive at destination
IA 57
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.4 mi from Waterloo, IA · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.4 miles from Waterloo, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Aplington, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Aplington, IA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.11 one way
$10.22 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.61 | $11.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.29 | $12.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.22 | $14.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.43 | $1.57 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.58 | $2.09 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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.
Destination
Aplington, IA
Late night in Aplington on Saturday
Local time
12:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
21 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
47m 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 Waterloo, IA to Aplington, IA covers 32.7 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are U Avenue, US 218, 1st Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.4 miles from Waterloo, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.11 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.
The drive from Waterloo, IA to Aplington, IA is easy. At 47m with 22% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 17.7 miles (IA 57 / U Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 27.8 miles (IA 57 / Buswell Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Waterloo, IA to Aplington, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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