Burlington to Dubuque is 152.5 miles and takes about 3 hours 2 minutes via US 61, with a fuel budget near $24 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you north through the heart of Iowa, a straightforward drive connecting two Midwest cities. With a recommended single day for travel, you'll spend most of your time on US 61. The route is designed for efficiency, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B without extensive detours.
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
76.3 miles from Burlington, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North Brady Street
64.6 mi
1h 16m
US 61
56.7 mi
1h 7m
U.S. 61
20.3 mi
22m
Douglas King Memorial Expressway
7.1 mi
8m
Sunnyside Avenue
1.8 mi
3m
Osborn Street
0.9 mi
1m
South Central Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
West River Drive
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
North Brady Street
— 64.6 mi, about 1h 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burlington, IA and Dubuque, IA.
1
Start on South Central Avenue
0.4 mi·50 sec·South Central Avenue
2
Turn left onto Osborn Street
0.9 mi·1 min·Osborn Street
3
Turn slight left onto Sunnyside Avenue
1.8 mi·3 min·Sunnyside Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 61
43 mi·50 min·US 61
5
Turn left onto US 61; IA 92
7.1 mi·8 min·Douglas King Memorial Expressway
6
Continue on US 61
20 mi·22 min·U.S. 61
7
Continue on US 61
0.4 mi·34 sec·West River Drive
8
Turn left onto US 61
6.2 mi·7 min·US 61
9
Take the exit onto US 61
5.8 mi·7 min·US 61
Toward I 80 East, US 61 North: Chicago
10
Take the exit onto US 61
0.3 mi·42 sec·US 61
Toward US 61 North: Eldridge, DeWitt
11
Merge onto US 61
65 mi·1 hr 16 min·North Brady Street
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 61; US 151
1.1 mi·1 min·US 61; US 151
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 189AToward White Street, Port of Dubuque
14
Continue on White Street
0.1 mi·27 sec·White Street
15
Turn left onto East 7th Street
284 ft·19 sec·East 7th Street
16
Turn left onto Central Avenue
31 ft·1 sec·Central Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour duration, departing Burlington in the morning allows ample time to reach Dubuque before evening. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $24, this is an easy day trip. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 64.6-mile stretch on North Brady Street, to avoid needing to search for services unexpectedly. The flexibility of a shorter drive means you can depart at your leisure and still have a comfortable journey.
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 76.3 miles from Burlington, IA, or about 1h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.6 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 34 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.3 miles or 1h 30m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dubuque, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Burlington, 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 Burlington, IA
This is one driving day of about 152.5 miles and 3h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Burlington, 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 North Brady Street for about 64.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 80.3 and 152.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
80.3 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|US 61
Take the exit onto US 61 toward I 80 East, US 61 North: Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, US 61 North: Chicago
5
86.1 mi into trip|~1h 42m in|US 61
Take the exit onto US 61 toward US 61 North: Eldridge, DeWitt
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 61 North: Eldridge, DeWitt
6
152.1 mi into trip|~3h in
Take the exit toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 189A
Toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
5
152.5 mi into trip|~3h 1m in|East 7th Street
Turn left onto East 7th Street
Navigation decision point
5
152.5 mi into trip|~3h 2m in|Central Avenue
Turn left onto Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.84 one way
$47.68 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg53 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$26.18
$52.35
premium
$4.89
$29.35
$58.69
diesel
$5.61
$33.67
$67.34
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.8
0
$16.01
$7.32
Efficient EV
38.1
0
$13.34
$6.10
EV Truck/SUV
61
0
$21.35
$9.76
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Burlington, IA
Late night
in Burlington on Sunday
Local time
2:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dubuque, IA
Late night
in Dubuque on Sunday
Local time
2:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
37°F
Rain Showers Likely
NW 15 mph59% chanceLive forecast
52°F
Andalusia, IL
76 mi in
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
16 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
3h 2m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive offers a mixed experience, with about 55% of the route on highways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 64.6 miles on North Brady Street, indicating a significant portion of the journey involves sustained driving. Expect the road to transition between more urban approaches and open highway segments as you head north. The profile suggests a generally consistent driving experience without extreme technical challenges, suitable for a relaxed pace.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.6 mi on North Brady Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 80.3 miles in near US 61.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 2m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 80.3 miles (US 61): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 86.1 miles (US 61): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 152.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Burlington, IA to Dubuque, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Dewitt along the way.
Dubuque, founded in 1833, is the oldest city in Iowa. A port on the upper Mississippi River, it is situated along scenic bluffs facing the river, and has its roots in a mining and trading settlement established in the area by Quebec-born entrepreneur Julien Dubuque in 1788. The city's population is 57,686 (2000 Census), and the estimated population of the Dubuque metropolitan area is 93,072.
The longest stretch is about 64.6 miles on North Brady Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 80.3 miles (US 61): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 86.1 miles (US 61): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 152.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Dubuque, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
