Origin
Eldora, IA
Late night in Eldora on Sunday
Local time
2:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eldora, IA to Waterloo, 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 3m
Distance
46.9 mi
75 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eldora, IA
Pexels LATAM
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Eldora, IA to Waterloo, IA is 46.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via US 20, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily through the Midwest region of Iowa. The drive is focused on highway travel, making it a quick and efficient way to get between these two communities. If you're looking for a simple transit rather than an extensive scenic journey, this route will get you there without much fuss. Consider this a practical hop between points rather than a destination in itself.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 33 mi | 38m |
| Sergeant Road | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| County Road S56 | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| County Highway S56 | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Edgington Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| South 1st Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| US 63 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 33 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eldora, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on Washington Street
69 ft
·
9 sec
·
Washington Street
2
Turn left onto IA 175
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Edgington Avenue
3
Turn left onto CR S56
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
County Road S56
4
Continue on South 1st Street
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
South 1st Street
5
Continue on County Highway S56
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
County Highway S56
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
7
Merge onto US 20
33 mi
·
38 min
·
US 20
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 63: Sergeant Road
9
Turn slight right
120 ft
·
6 sec
10
Turn straight onto US 63
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Sergeant Road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto US 63
388 ft
·
9 sec
·
University Avenue
12
Turn straight onto US 63
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
US 63
13
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
14
Continue on Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Washington Street
15
Turn right onto West 4th Street
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 4th Street
16
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.4 miles from Eldora, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 46.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 175 / Edgington Avenue
Turn left onto IA 175 / Edgington Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR S56 / County Road S56
Turn left onto CR S56 / County Road S56
Navigation decision point
3
8.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
4
41.7 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward US 63: Sergeant Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 63: Sergeant Road
5
46.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
West 4th Street
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.33 one way
$14.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.05 | $16.10 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.03 | $18.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.35 | $20.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Waterloo, IA
Late night in Waterloo on Sunday
Local time
2:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 18 to 22 mph
53% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 3:26PM CDT until April 17 at 4:30PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
Tornado Warning
Tornado Warning issued April 17 at 3:26PM CDT until April 17 at 3:45PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
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
30 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 3m 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 route is largely a highway-focused drive, with about 71% of it on major roads like US 20. You'll experience a significant stretch of 33 miles on US 20 without interruption, offering a consistent pace. While the majority is highway, expect some segments on Sergeant Road and County Road S56, which might offer a slight change of scenery or road type before rejoining the main highway. The overall character is one of efficient travel, prioritizing speed and directness over winding backroads.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33 mi on US 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and Sergeant Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 175 / Edgington 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 3m 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: near the start (IA 175 / Edgington Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (CR S56 / County Road S56): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33 miles on US 20. 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 (IA 175 / Edgington Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (CR S56 / County Road S56): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waterloo, 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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