Origin
Centerville, IA
Night in Centerville on Saturday
Local time
11:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Centerville, IA to Des Moines, 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 10m
Distance
53.4 mi
86 km
Drive Score
9/10
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 10m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Centerville, IA
Tom Fisk
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Centerville to Des Moines covers 53.4 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. This straightforward trip across the Iowa Midwest is perfectly suited for a quick day trip, as it does not require an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $8 for fuel to complete the journey. Navigating via I-35 Bus, 230th Street, and the John MacVicar Freeway, you will experience a convenient connection between these two locations. Since the entire route remains within the state of Iowa, you can expect a consistent regional feel throughout your drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 Bus | 24.4 mi | 27m |
| 230th Street | 11 mi | 12m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 4 mi | 5m |
| 220th Street | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Mamie Eisenhower Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| Corporal Roger Snedden Drive | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| 188th Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| West 12th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35 Bus
— 24.4 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Centerville, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on Leaf Road
0.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Leaf Road
2
Turn left onto CR E26
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
188th Road
3
Continue on CR E26
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Mallard Avenue
4
Keep slight left at fork onto CR E26
163 ft
·
3 sec
·
Mallard Avenue
5
Continue on CR E26
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 12th Street
6
At end of road, turn right onto Marion Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Marion Street
7
Turn left onto West Mamie Eisenhower Avenue
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Mamie Eisenhower Avenue
8
Continue on West 3rd Street
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
West 3rd Street
9
Continue on Mamie Eisenhower Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Mamie Eisenhower Avenue
10
Turn right onto CR R27
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Corporal Roger Snedden Drive
11
Turn left onto US 30
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
220th Street
12
Continue on US 30
11 mi
·
12 min
·
230th Street
13
Take the exit onto I 35 Bus
24 mi
·
27 min
·
I 35 Bus
Toward I 35 Business South, I 35 South: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
15
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 8B
Toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
19
Turn left onto East University Avenue
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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
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 0.9 and 52.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
CR E26 / 188th Road
Turn left onto CR E26 / 188th Road
Navigation decision point
7
23.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 35 Bus
Take the exit onto I 35 Bus toward I 35 Business South, I 35 South: Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 Business South, I 35 South: Des Moi...
5
47.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
8
52.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, Ea...
8
52.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Aven...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.35 one way
$16.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.17 | $18.33 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.28 | $20.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.79 | $23.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 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 | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.56 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.67 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.48 | $3.42 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Des Moines, IA
Night in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
11:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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 10m 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 trip offers a mixed driving profile, balancing local roads with faster highway segments. Roughly 53% of your journey is spent on highways, providing a steady pace for most of the trip. You will encounter your longest stretch of continuous travel while covering 24.4 miles on I-35 Bus. As you transition from the smaller local roads like 230th Street onto the John MacVicar Freeway, the character of the drive shifts from rural pavement to a more standard interstate experience. Expect a functional, uncomplicated ride that gets you to your destination efficiently.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.4 mi on I 35 Bus.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near CR E26 / 188th Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.4 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: at 0.9 miles (CR E26 / 188th Road): Navigation decision point; at 23.2 miles (I 35 Bus): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Full guide →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.
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 10m. Total distance: 53.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.4 miles on I 35 Bus. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Des Moines, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 0.9 miles (CR E26 / 188th Road): Navigation decision point; at 23.2 miles (I 35 Bus): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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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