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Trip from Des Moines, IA to Indiana, IA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 5m

Distance

48.2 mi

77 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 0m ★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Des Moines, IA, IA

Des Moines, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Indiana, IA, IA

Indiana, IA

Kelly

Trip Overview

This straightforward 48.2-mile drive from Des Moines, IA to Indiana, IA is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 5 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You'll primarily be on IA 5 and Southeast 14th Street, with a section of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $8, this route is budget-friendly for a quick excursion within the Midwest. There are no designated overnight stops needed, and you can complete the journey without any planned breaks, though you're welcome to stop as you please. This trip offers a convenient way to travel between two points in Iowa.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
IA 5 36 mi 44m
Southeast 14th Street 2.4 mi 4m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway 2.2 mi 2m
County Highway G76 2 mi 3m
Southeast 6th Street 1.8 mi 3m
Southridge Boulevard 1.6 mi 2m
East 6th Street 0.9 mi 1m
Indianola Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: IA 5 — 36 mi, about 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Des Moines, IA and Indiana, IA.

1

Start on East University Avenue

481 ft · 39 sec · East University Avenue
2

Turn uturn onto East University Avenue

0.1 mi · 18 sec · East University Avenue
3

Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Pennsylvania Avenue
4

Continue on East 6th Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · East 6th Street
5

Continue on Southeast 6th Street

1.8 mi · 3 min · Southeast 6th Street
6

Turn left onto Indianola Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · Indianola Avenue
7

Turn slight right onto US 69

2.4 mi · 4 min · Southeast 14th Street
8

Continue on US 69

1.6 mi · 2 min · Southridge Boulevard
9

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 41 sec
10

Merge onto IA 5

2.2 mi · 2 min · Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
11

Take the exit onto IA 5

19 mi · 22 min · IA 5
Toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
12

Turn left onto IA 5; IA 92

11 mi · 11 min · IA 5; IA 92
13

Take the exit onto IA 5

0.5 mi · 1 min · IA 5
14

Turn right onto IA 5

5.8 mi · 8 min · IA 5
15

Turn sharp right onto CR G76

0.2 mi · 24 sec · County Highway G76
16

Continue on CR G76

1.9 mi · 3 min · County Highway G76
17

Arrive at destination

CR G76

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Pleasant Hill, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Pleasant Hill, IA

24 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

Pleasant Hill, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Pleasantville, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.1 miles from Des Moines, 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 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 46.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East University Avenue

Turn uturn onto East University Avenue

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Pennsylvania Avenue

Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
3 mi into trip | ~6m in | Indianola Avenue

Turn left onto Indianola Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
10.2 mi into trip | ~17m in | IA 5

Take the exit onto IA 5 toward IA 5 South: Carlisle

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
5
46.1 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in | CR G76 / County Highway G76

Turn sharp right onto CR G76 / County Highway G76

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.54 one way

$15.07 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $8.27 $16.55
premium $4.89 $9.28 $18.55
diesel $5.61 $10.64 $21.28

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.5 0 $5.06 $2.31
Efficient EV 12.1 0 $4.22 $1.93
EV Truck/SUV 19.3 0 $6.75 $3.08

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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

Des Moines, IA

Late night in Des Moines on Tuesday

Local time

4:00 AM

CDT

Current temp

36°F

Mostly Clear

NW 12 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Indiana, IA

Late night in Indiana on Tuesday

Local time

4:00 AM

CDT

Current temp

37°F

Mostly Clear

NW 14 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

60°F

Pleasant Hill, IA

24 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

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 5m 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?

Expect a highway-focused experience on this route, with about 75% of the journey utilizing higher-speed roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 36 miles on IA 5, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of the drive. While predominantly highway, you'll transition through different road names like Southeast 14th Street and the Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway, indicating some variation in the immediate surroundings. This drive is characterized by its efficiency rather than winding scenic byways.

75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36 mi on IA 5.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IA 5 and Southeast 14th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East University Avenue.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 5m 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 0.1 miles (East University Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.2 miles (Pennsylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (Indianola Avenue): Navigation decision point.

About the Cities

Starting in Des Moines, IA

Full guide →

Founded 1843

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.

Top landmarks

  • • Iowa State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Iowa
  • • St. Ambrose Cathedral — church in Iowa, United States
  • • Des Moines Art Center — art museum in Des Moines, Iowa

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 5m. Total distance: 48.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (75%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 36 miles on IA 5. 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 0.1 miles (East University Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.2 miles (Pennsylvania Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (Indianola Avenue): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Indiana, 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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