Origin
Belle Plaine, IA
Morning in Belle Plaine on Sunday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Belle Plaine, IA to Iowa City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
51.4 mi
83 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Belle Plaine, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Belle Plaine to Iowa City, you are looking at a straightforward 51.4-mile journey through the heart of the Midwest. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 11 minutes behind the wheel for this trip. Because it is a quick trek, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. Budgeting about $8 for fuel should keep your vehicle ready for the drive. Whether you are heading to Iowa City for business or a change of pace, this highway-focused connection provides a reliable path between these two Iowa communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 18.7 mi | 20m |
| IA 212 | 11.7 mi | 17m |
| US 6 | 8.8 mi | 12m |
| U Avenue | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| 11th Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| State Highway 21 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Dubuque Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| 7th Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 18.7 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belle Plaine, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on IA 21
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Avenue
2
Continue on IA 21
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
11th Avenue
3
Continue on IA 21
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 21
4
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 212
12 mi
·
17 min
·
IA 212
5
Turn right onto IA 212
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Western Avenue
6
Turn left onto US 6
8.8 mi
·
12 min
·
US 6
7
Continue on US 151
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
U Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
9
Merge onto I 80
19 mi
·
20 min
·
I 80
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Downtown
11
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dubuque Street
12
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kimball Road
13
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Gilbert Street
14
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.7 miles from Belle Plaine, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 50.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
IA 212
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 212
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
15.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
US 6
Turn left onto US 6
Navigation decision point
4
30.1 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
4
49.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Downtown
4
50.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
North Gilbert Street
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.04 one way
$16.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.82 | $17.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.89 | $19.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.35 | $22.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.50 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.20 | $3.29 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Iowa City, IA
Morning in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Williamsburg, IA
26 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
25 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 11m 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 prioritizes efficiency, with 79% of the drive taking place on highways. You will rely on a combination of IA 212, US 6, and I-80 to navigate the distance. The experience is primarily a highway-focused drive, offering a consistent pace as you transition between local roads and the interstate. Be prepared for a 18.7-mile stretch on I-80, which serves as the longest uninterrupted segment of your travel. While the roads are designed for steady movement, the transition from smaller routes to the interstate characterizes the overall personality of this commute.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.7 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and IA 212. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in near IA 212.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.4 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles (IA 212): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 15.6 miles (US 6): Navigation decision point; at 30.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
864 ft
666 ft
Total Climb
183 ft
Total Descent
345 ft
Highest Point
864 ft
~25.7 mi in
Elevation Range
198 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 51.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.7 miles on I 80. 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: at 3.5 miles (IA 212): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 15.6 miles (US 6): Navigation decision point; at 30.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Iowa City, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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