Origin
Albia, IA
Late night in Albia on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Albia, IA to Des Moines, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 29m
Distance
65.1 mi
105 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 23m
★
6 AM
1h 30m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 43m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Albia, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Albia, IA to Des Moines, IA is 65.1 miles and takes about 1h 29m via IA 5, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, connecting two points in Iowa. It's a straightforward trip, mostly on highways, making it a convenient option for a quick transition between these two locations. Given its short duration, it's easily manageable as a same-day trip without feeling rushed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| IA 5 | 35.9 mi | 49m |
| State Highway 5 | 19.2 mi | 22m |
| Southeast 14th Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Southeast 6th Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Southridge Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Indianola Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
IA 5
— 35.9 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Albia, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on this road
31 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto South 2nd Street
170 ft
·
12 sec
·
South 2nd Street
3
Turn left onto CR H35
356 ft
·
9 sec
·
Benton Avenue East
4
Turn right onto IA 5
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Main Street
5
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 5
25 mi
·
37 min
·
IA 5
6
Take the ramp onto IA 5
11 mi
·
12 min
·
IA 5
7
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
8
Continue on IA 5
19 mi
·
22 min
·
State Highway 5
9
Merge onto US 65; IA 5
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 69 North: Des Moines
11
Turn straight onto US 69
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Southridge Boulevard
12
Continue on US 69
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Southeast 14th Street
13
Turn slight left onto Indianola Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Indianola Avenue
14
Turn right onto Southeast 6th Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast 6th Street
15
Continue on East 6th Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
East 6th Street
16
Turn right onto East Locust Street
491 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Locust Street
17
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
18
Turn left onto East University Avenue
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.5 miles from Albia, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 64.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South 2nd Street
Turn right onto South 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR H35 / Benton Avenue East
Turn left onto CR H35 / Benton Avenue East
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 5 / North Main Street
Turn right onto IA 5 / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 5
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
64.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 27m in
|
East Locust Street
Turn right onto East Locust Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.18 one way
$20.36 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.17 | $22.35 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.53 | $25.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.37 | $28.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.5 | 0 | $6.84 | $3.12 |
| Efficient EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.70 | $2.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26 | 0 | $9.11 | $4.17 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Des Moines, IA
Late night in Des Moines on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Carlisle, IA
33 mi in
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 29m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway, with 85% of the drive on major roads. You'll encounter a continuous stretch of 35.9 miles on IA 5. The transition to surface roads, like Southeast 14th Street in Des Moines, will occur later in the drive. Expect a consistent highway feel for most of the trip, with periods of rural cruising.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.9 mi on IA 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IA 5 and State Highway 5. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 2nd Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 29m drive. You will face about 11 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 (South 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (CR H35 / Benton Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (IA 5 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Full guide →Founded 1843
Des Moines, capital of Iowa, is in the western region of the American Midwest. Des Moines is the largest city in Iowa and the annual site of the Iowa State Fair and numerous cultural festivals during warm weather months. History enthusiasts will find 110 historic sites in and around the city as part of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. The city appeals to travelers with an interest in the arts who marvel at the architecture of the State Capitol with its five domes, including the large main dome with its gleaming 23-karat gold surface. The city has a good art museum, a symphony that performs in the downtown Civic Center (along with opera, ballet, and other performing arts), and a big annual arts festival that draws visitors from across Iowa and beyond.
Top landmarks
- • Iowa State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Iowa
- • St. Ambrose Cathedral — church in Iowa, United States
- • Des Moines Art Center — art museum in Des Moines, Iowa
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 29m. Total distance: 65.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35.9 miles on IA 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (CR H35 / Benton Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (IA 5 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Des Moines, IA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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