Origin
Fairfax, IA
Morning in Fairfax on Sunday
Local time
11:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfax, 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
41m
Distance
30.7 mi
49 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfax, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 30.7-mile drive from Fairfax to Iowa City in Iowa is a straightforward trip, estimated to take about 41 minutes. It's an easy day trip, so no overnight split is necessary. You'll primarily be on roads like Avenue of the Saints, I-80, and US-151, with about 27% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $5, making it an economical option. This route offers a practical way to travel within the Midwest region, connecting two points in the same state without significant logistical challenges.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 15.4 mi | 16m |
| I 80 | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| US 151 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Williams Boulevard | 3 mi | 4m |
| North Dubuque Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Gilbert Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| US 218 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Church Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 15.4 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfax, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on Vanderbilt Street
443 ft
·
21 sec
·
Vanderbilt Street
2
Turn right onto Church Street
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Church Street
3
Turn right onto US 151
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Williams Boulevard
4
Enter roundabout onto US 151
85 ft
·
1 sec
·
Williams Boulevard
5
Continue on US 151
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Williams Boulevard
6
Take the ramp onto US 151
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
US 151
7
Take the exit onto US 218
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 218
Toward I 380 South, US 218 South, IA 27 South: Iowa City, Airport
8
Merge onto I 380; US 218; IA 27
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 80
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
11
Merge onto I 80
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
I 80
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Downtown
13
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dubuque Street
14
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kimball Road
15
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Gilbert Street
16
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 23.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Church Street
Turn right onto Church Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 151 / Williams Boulevard
Turn right onto US 151 / Williams Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
2.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 151 / Williams Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto US 151 / Williams Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
US 218
Take the exit onto US 218 toward I 380 South, US 218 South, IA 27 South: Iowa City, Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 South, US 218 South, IA 27 South:...
5
23.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.80 one way
$9.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.27 | $10.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.91 | $11.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.78 | $13.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
11:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
24 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
41m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 30.7-mile stretch. While a portion is on highways, the overall feel is more about navigating local roads, with only 27% of the journey on faster-paced routes. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 15.4 miles on Avenue of the Saints. This suggests a drive that requires your attention to various turns and road changes, rather than a long, monotonous highway cruise. Prepare for a dynamic driving experience with frequent adjustments.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.4 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Church Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 30.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 151 / Williams Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles (US 151 / Williams Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Fairfax, IA and Iowa City, IA, road signs point toward Airport and Downtown.
Airport
7 mi in
|
~10m
|
via US 218
Downtown
28.5 mi in
|
~35m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 30.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.4 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 Iowa City, 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 0.1 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 151 / Williams Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles (US 151 / Williams Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
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.
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