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Trip from Hudson, IA to Cedar Rapids, 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 9m

Distance

59.3 mi

95 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

7 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m

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

Downtown Hudson, IA, IA

Hudson, IA

Garrison Gao

Trip Overview

This 59.3-mile drive from Hudson to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a straightforward, one-day trip that should take about 58 minutes to complete. With a fuel cost estimated at $9, it's an economical option for exploring the Midwest. The route primarily uses local roads like 6th Street, Waterloo Road, and Sergeant Road, indicating a more direct, turn-heavy experience rather than open highway cruising. Given its short duration and local road profile, this journey is best suited for a single, easy day trip, allowing for flexibility and minimal planning. You'll stay within Iowa for the entirety of this journey.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Avenue of the Saints 52.6 mi 57m
Sergeant Road 4.1 mi 5m
32nd Street Northeast 1.3 mi 2m
Waterloo Road 0.2 mi <1m
6th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Tiperary Drive Northeast <0.1 mi <1m
Crystal Drive Northeast <0.1 mi <1m
North Jefferson Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Avenue of the Saints — 52.6 mi, about 57m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hudson, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.

1

Start on North Jefferson Street

335 ft · 16 sec · North Jefferson Street
2

Turn right onto 6th Street

446 ft · 20 sec · 6th Street
3

Turn left onto Waterloo Road

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Waterloo Road
4

Turn left onto US 63

4.1 mi · 5 min · Sergeant Road
5

Turn slight right

162 ft · 7 sec
Use the right lane.
6

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
7

Merge onto US 20; IA 27

10 mi · 11 min · Avenue of the Saints
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27

42 mi · 45 min · Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
10

Keep slight left at fork

121 ft · 4 sec
11

Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast

1.3 mi · 2 min · 32nd Street Northeast
12

Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast

184 ft · 10 sec · Crystal Drive Northeast
13

Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast

177 ft · 7 sec · Crystal Drive Northeast
14

Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast

428 ft · 18 sec · Tiperary Drive Northeast
15

Arrive at destination

Tiperary Drive Northeast

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Urbana, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Urbana, IA

30 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.

Popular next leg

Urbana, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA

21.2 mi · 25m

Pacing Suggestions

Elk Run Heights, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Urbana, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.6 miles from Hudson, 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 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 57.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | 6th Street

Turn right onto 6th Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Waterloo Road

Turn left onto Waterloo Road

Navigation decision point

3
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 63 / Sergeant Road

Turn left onto US 63 / Sergeant Road

Navigation decision point

6
15.2 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints

Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
5
57.8 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.27 one way

$18.54 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $10.18 $20.36
premium $4.89 $11.41 $22.82
diesel $5.61 $13.09 $26.19

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.8 0 $6.23 $2.85
Efficient EV 14.8 0 $5.19 $2.37
EV Truck/SUV 23.7 0 $8.30 $3.80

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (67% 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 20, 2026

Origin

Hudson, IA

Late night in Hudson on Tuesday

Local time

5:57 AM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cedar Rapids, IA

Late night in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday

Local time

5:57 AM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

43°F

Urbana, IA

30 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

19 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 9m 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 on this route, with no highway time contributing to the 59.3 miles. Your journey will primarily follow 6th Street, Waterloo Road, and Sergeant Road, suggesting a series of intersections and transitions. The absence of a longest uninterrupted stretch indicates a continuous series of turns and road name changes, keeping you engaged with the local landscape. This isn't a route for high-speed cruising; instead, it offers a more intimate connection with the towns and communities you pass through on your way to Cedar Rapids.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 52.6 mi on Avenue of the Saints.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 6th Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.3 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.1 miles (6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Waterloo Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 63 / Sergeant Road): Navigation decision point.

About the Cities

Arriving in Cedar Rapids, IA

Full guide →

Cedar Rapids is a city in Eastern Iowa. In 2016, it was the second largest city in Iowa by population and is home to about 137,000 residents. Largely known as an industrial, working class city, Cedar Rapids has begun to grow and expand employment opportunities in the service sector, attracting new residents to the area. While out of the way of most major travel routes and destinations, a stop in Cedar Rapids may uncover a great taste of the Midwest. Typical Iowa hospitality is not lost here.

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 9m. Total distance: 59.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 52.6 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 (6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Waterloo Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 63 / Sergeant Road): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cedar Rapids, 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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Explore more options from Hudson, IA or browse trips ending in Cedar Rapids, IA.

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