Origin
Davenport, IA
Morning in Davenport on Sunday
Local time
8:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Davenport, 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 10m
Distance
54.7 mi
88 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
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.
Davenport, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Davenport to Iowa City is 54.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes via US 6, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, moving from the Midwest region to the same region, making it a straightforward journey. Expect a drive primarily on highways, offering a functional way to get between these two cities. Given its short distance and reasonable duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 6 | 44.1 mi | 48m |
| West Kimberly Road | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Hickory Grove Road | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| North Dodge Street | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Marquette Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| West 4th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Locust Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Gilbert Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 6
— 44.1 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Davenport, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Marquette Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Marquette Street
3
Turn left onto US 6 Hist
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Locust Street
4
Turn slight right onto US 6 Hist
2.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Hickory Grove Road
5
At end of road, turn left onto US 6
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
West Kimberly Road
6
Take the ramp onto US 6
44 mi
·
48 min
·
US 6
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
8
Turn left onto IA 1
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Dodge Street
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto Church Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Church Street
10
Turn left onto North Gilbert Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Gilbert Street
11
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Davenport, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 51.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Marquette Street
Turn right onto Marquette Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 6 Hist / West Locust Street
Turn left onto US 6 Hist / West Locust Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
US 6 / West Kimberly Road
At end of road, turn left onto US 6 / West Kimberly Road
Navigation decision point
4
51.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
4
51.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
IA 1 / North Dodge Street
Turn left onto IA 1 / North Dodge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.55 one way
$17.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.39 | $18.78 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.53 | $21.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.08 | $24.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 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 | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.63 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.66 | $3.50 |
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
Iowa City, IA
Morning in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
8:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Wilton, IA
27 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 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 route is largely a highway-focused drive, with 81% of the journey utilizing higher-speed roads. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 44.1 miles on US 6, which forms the backbone of this trip. While primarily highway, the route incorporates sections of West Kimberly Road and Hickory Grove Road, suggesting a transition from faster travel to more local roads as you approach your destination. The overall feel is efficient and direct, minimizing time spent on slower, winding paths.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.1 mi on US 6.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 6 and West Kimberly Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Marquette Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 10m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 6 Hist / West Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 54.7 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 (81%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.1 miles on US 6. 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 0.7 miles (Marquette Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 6 Hist / West Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (US 6 / West Kimberly Road): 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Iowa City, IA
More trips to Iowa City, IA
Explore more options from Davenport, IA or browse trips ending in Iowa City, IA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.