Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from Webster City, IA to Waterloo, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 36m

Distance

80.3 mi

129 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Good

7 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 22 min
4 AM
1h 30m ★
6 AM
1h 37m
8 AM
1h 52m
10 AM
1h 42m
12 PM
1h 41m
3 PM
1h 43m
5 PM
1h 51m
8 PM
1h 33m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in Iowa, United States

Webster City, IA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States

Waterloo, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Webster City, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 80.3 miles and takes about 1h 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 20, Sergeant Road, Superior Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 73.3 miles on US 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.55 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.

Midpoint

40.2 miles from Webster City, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 47m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 36m. Total distance: 80.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 36m highway drive covering 80.3 miles, with most of the trip on US 20 and Sergeant Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 73.3 miles on US 20.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 73.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and Sergeant Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Superior Street.

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 1h 36m drive. You will face about 8 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 (Superior Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 20): Merge point - match speed before joining.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Superior Street

Turn right onto Superior Street

Navigation decision point

5
1.5 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp toward US 20 East

Navigation decision point

Toward US 20 East
3
1.9 mi into trip | ~3m in | US 20

Merge onto US 20

Merge point - match speed before joining

4
75.2 mi into trip | ~1h 28m in

Take the exit toward US 63: Sergeant Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 63: Sergeant Road
5
80.3 mi into trip | ~1h 36m in | West 4th Street

Turn right onto West 4th Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 20 73.3 mi 1h 24m
Sergeant Road 3.8 mi 5m
Superior Street 1.3 mi 2m
US 63 0.3 mi <1m
Briggs Woods Road 0.3 mi <1m
Washington Street 0.2 mi <1m
University Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
West 4th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 20 — 73.3 mi, about 1h 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Webster City, IA and Waterloo, IA.

1

Start on CR D20

60 ft · 5 sec · 2nd Street
2

Turn right onto Superior Street

1.3 mi · 2 min · Superior Street
3

Continue on IA 17

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Briggs Woods Road
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Toward US 20 East
5

Merge onto US 20

73 mi · 1 hr 24 min · US 20
6

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward US 63: Sergeant Road
7

Turn slight right

120 ft · 6 sec
8

Turn straight onto US 63

3.8 mi · 5 min · Sergeant Road
Use the left lane.
9

Turn right onto US 63

388 ft · 9 sec · University Avenue
10

Turn straight onto US 63

0.3 mi · 45 sec · US 63
11

Turn right

0.1 mi · 10 sec
12

Continue on Washington Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Washington Street
13

Turn right onto West 4th Street

76 ft · 2 sec · West 4th Street
14

Arrive at destination

West 4th Street

Trip Plan

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 40.2 miles from Webster City, IA, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73.3 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 18 miles or 22m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 40.2 miles or 47m 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 20m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Webster City, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Webster City, IA

This is one driving day of about 80.3 miles and 1h 36m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Webster City, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 20 for about 73.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 40.2 mi from Webster City, IA · 47m into the drive

Downtown Grundy Center, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Grundy Center, IA

40 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

Iowa Falls, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ackley, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 40.2 miles from Webster City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 73.3 miles.

Arriving in Waterloo, IA

The final approach into Waterloo, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Red E Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Webster City, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

Blink Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Webster City, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18889982546

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

2.4 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 80.3

Waterloo, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

Shell Recharge Charging Station

2.2 ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Near the end, short detour

2.4 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 80.3

Waterloo, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+31880109500

Visit website

Pilot Flying J Charging Station

2.5 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the start, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 11.5

Williams, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

+15155160821

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

Near the start, short detour

1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour

Webster City, IA

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

EVgo Car Charging Station

Near the start, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 11.5

Williams, Iowa

Hours: Open 24 hours

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.55 one way

$25.11 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 28 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $13.78 $27.57
premium $4.89 $15.45 $30.91
diesel $5.61 $17.73 $35.46

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 28.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 24.1 0 $8.43 $3.85
Efficient EV 20.1 0 $7.03 $3.21
EV Truck/SUV 32.1 0 $11.24 $5.14

Gas CO2

28 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (68% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Webster City, IA

Late night in Webster City on Saturday

Local time

4:40 AM

CDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Waterloo, IA

Late night in Waterloo on Saturday

Local time

4:40 AM

CDT

Current temp

68°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

20 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

1h 36m 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 Webster City, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 80.3 miles and takes about 1h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 20, Sergeant Road, Superior Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 40.2 miles from Webster City, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.55 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 1h 36m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Superior Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 20): Merge point - match speed before joining.

The route from Webster City, IA to Waterloo, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

Waterloo, IA to Webster City, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

79.7 mi 1h 36m

Continue From Waterloo, IA

Akron, IA 241.6 mi · 4h 56m Alton, IA 226.7 mi · 4h 36m Arnolds Park, IA 203.4 mi · 4h 25m Burlington, IA 156.5 mi · 3h 1m

More from Webster City, IA

Dubuque, IA 168.4 mi · 3h 20m Sioux City, IA 135.6 mi · 2h 45m Indiana, IA 122 mi · 2h 24m Des Moines, IA 74.8 mi · 1h 26m Ankeny, IA 65.5 mi · 1h 16m Ames, IA 45.4 mi · 54m

More trips to Waterloo, IA

Hamburg, IA 287.7 mi George, IA 250 mi Red Oak, IA 229.5 mi Villisca, IA 224.8 mi Corning, IA 209.6 mi Avoca, IA 204.6 mi
Weekend drives from Webster City, IA Scenic drives in IA

Explore more options from Webster City, IA or browse trips ending in Waterloo, IA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.