Origin
Cedar Falls, IA
Late night in Cedar Falls on Sunday
Local time
1:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cedar Falls, IA to Cedar Rapids, 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 12m
Distance
61.7 mi
99 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cedar Falls, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through the heart of the Midwest, the 61.7-mile connection between Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids is a straightforward choice. Clocking in at approximately 1 hour and 12 minutes, this drive is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You can expect to spend about $9 on fuel for the journey, making it a very budget-friendly commute. The route utilizes a combination of the Avenue of the Saints, IA 27, and 32nd Street Northeast to navigate between these two Iowa hubs. Because the transit time is so manageable, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your day without worrying about fatigue. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of scenery, this efficient path gets you where you need to be with minimal logistical stress.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 46.4 mi | 51m |
| IA 27 | 12.8 mi | 15m |
| 32nd Street Northeast | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East 18th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Tiperary Drive Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Crystal Drive Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 18th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 46.4 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Falls, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
52 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
2
Continue on Main Street
61 ft
·
1 sec
·
Main Street
3
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
104 ft
·
2 sec
·
Main Street
4
Continue on Main Street
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Main Street
5
Turn left onto West 18th Street
40 ft
·
3 sec
·
West 18th Street
6
At end of road, turn straight onto East 18th Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
East 18th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward IA 27 south, IA 58 south
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto IA 27; IA 58
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Turn left onto IA 27
13 mi
·
15 min
·
IA 27
Toward US 20 East, IA 27 South: Dubuque, Cedar Rapids
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
42 mi
·
45 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
12
Keep slight left at fork
121 ft
·
4 sec
13
Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
32nd Street Northeast
14
Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft
·
10 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
15
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
177 ft
·
7 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
16
Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast
428 ft
·
18 sec
·
Tiperary Drive Northeast
17
Arrive at destination
Tiperary Drive Northeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 30.9 miles from Cedar Falls, 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 17.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Main Street
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 18th Street
At end of road, turn straight onto East 18th Street
Navigation decision point
8
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward IA 27 south, IA 58 south
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward IA 27 south, IA 58 south
5
4.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
IA 27
Turn left onto IA 27 toward US 20 East, IA 27 South: Dubuque, Cedar Rapids
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20 East, IA 27 South: Dubuque, Cedar...
6
17.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.65 one way
$19.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.59 | $21.18 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.87 | $23.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.62 | $27.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.7 | 0 | $8.64 | $3.95 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Late night in Cedar Rapids on Sunday
Local time
1:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 15 mph
27% chance
Live forecast
49°F
Jesup, IA
31 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 12m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive presents a unique blend of fast-paced transit and technical local navigation. You will spend roughly 21% of your time on highways, with a significant 46.4-mile stretch along the Avenue of the Saints providing the most consistent driving experience. As you transition off the main highway, the route shifts into a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention. The personality of the road changes noticeably as you move from the open highway segments toward the local streets of Cedar Rapids. Expect a varied pace that keeps you engaged, as the drive balances long-distance efficiency with the slower, more deliberate handling required for local road segments.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.4 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
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 61.7 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.4 miles (East 18th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Cedar Rapids, IA
Full guide →Cedar Rapids is a city in Eastern Iowa. In 2016, it was the second largest city in Iowa by population and is home to about 137,000 residents. Largely known as an industrial, working class city, Cedar Rapids has begun to grow and expand employment opportunities in the service sector, attracting new residents to the area. While out of the way of most major travel routes and destinations, a stop in Cedar Rapids may uncover a great taste of the Midwest. Typical Iowa hospitality is not lost here.
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 12m. Total distance: 61.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (21%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46.4 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 (Main Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.4 miles (East 18th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cedar Rapids, 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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