Origin
Waukee, IA
Afternoon in Waukee on Wednesday
Local time
2:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukee, IA to Burlington, IA
Data updated 4 hours ago
Drive Time
3h 39m
Distance
184.8 mi
297 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 27m
★
6 AM
3h 39m
8 AM
4h 4m
10 AM
3h 48m
12 PM
3h 45m
3 PM
3h 49m
5 PM
4h 3m
8 PM
3h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waukee, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Burlington, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Waukee, IA to Burlington, IA covers 184.8 miles and takes about 3h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on IA 163, IA 5, US 34 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 77.6 miles on IA 163. At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
92.4 miles from Waukee, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 50m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 3h 39m highway drive covering 184.8 miles, with most of the trip on IA 163 and IA 5. The longest continuous stretch is about 77.6 miles on IA 163.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
IA 163 is the longest continuous segment at about 77.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IA 163 and IA 5. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 6 / Hickman Road.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 184.8 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 6 / Hickman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 6 / Hickman Road
Turn right onto US 6 / Hickman Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
6
7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
11.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 68
Toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport,...
7
157.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 5m in
|
US 34; IA 163
Keep slight right at fork onto US 34; IA 163 toward US 34 East, IA 163 East: Burlington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 42
Toward US 34 East, IA 163 East: Burlington
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Waukee, IA and Burlington, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines, Norwalk and 163 East: Mount Pleasant.
Des Moines
11.6 mi in
|
~16m
Norwalk
11.6 mi in
|
~16m
163 East: Mount Pleasant
157 mi in
|
~3h 5m
|
via US 34; IA 163
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| IA 163 | 77.6 mi | 1h 29m |
| IA 5 | 51.3 mi | 58m |
| US 34 | 27 mi | 32m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 12.9 mi | 14m |
| Hickman Road | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| I 35 | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| I 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
IA 163
— 77.6 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukee, IA and Burlington, IA.
1
Start on Ashworth Drive
139 ft
·
7 sec
·
Ashworth Drive
2
Turn right onto CR R22
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
6th Street
3
Turn right onto US 6
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Hickman Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 80; I 35
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80; I 35
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 68
Toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on IA 5
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto IA 5
19 mi
·
22 min
·
IA 5
Toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
10
Turn left onto IA 5; IA 92
32 mi
·
36 min
·
IA 5; IA 92
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
12
Merge onto IA 163
78 mi
·
1 hr 29 min
·
IA 163
13
Merge onto US 34; US 218; IA 27; IA 163
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
14
Take the exit onto US 34; IA 163
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
US 34; IA 163
Exit 42
Toward US 34 East, 163 East: Mount Pleasant, Burlington
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 34; IA 163
27 mi
·
31 min
·
US 34; IA 163
Exit 42
Toward US 34 East, IA 163 East: Burlington
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 262B
Toward Central Ave
17
Turn right onto North Central Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Central Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
South Central Avenue
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 92.4 miles from Waukee, IA, or about 1h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 77.6 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 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 92.4 miles or 1h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Burlington, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waukee, 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 Waukee, IA
This is one driving day of about 184.8 miles and 3h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Waukee, 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.
The longest stretch is on IA 163 for about 77.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 92.4 mi from Waukee, IA · 1h 50m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
92 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 92.4 miles from Waukee, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before IA 163 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 77.6 miles.
Arriving in Burlington, IA
The final approach into Burlington, 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 Burlington, 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
$28.89 one way
$57.78 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
65 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $31.72 | $63.44 |
| premium | $4.89 | $35.56 | $71.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $40.80 | $81.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 55.4 | 0 | $19.40 | $8.87 |
| Efficient EV | 46.2 | 0 | $16.17 | $7.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 73.9 | 0 | $25.87 | $11.83 |
Gas CO2
65 kg
EV CO2
22 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.
Destination
Burlington, IA
Afternoon in Burlington on Wednesday
Local time
2:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
3 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
3h 39m 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 Waukee, IA to Burlington, IA covers 184.8 miles and takes about 3h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are IA 163, IA 5, US 34. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 92.4 miles from Waukee, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.89 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 184.8 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 6 / Hickman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Waukee, IA and Burlington, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines, Norwalk and 163 East: Mount Pleasant.
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