Origin
Iowa City, IA
Night in Iowa City on Wednesday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Iowa City, IA to Buffalo, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
59.6 mi
96 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Buffalo, IA
Duc Nguyen
Trip Overview
The drive from Iowa City, IA to Buffalo, IA covers 59.6 miles and takes about 1h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, US 6, East Front Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.7 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 42.7 mi | 46m |
| US 6 | 8.3 mi | 10m |
| East Front Street | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Rockingham Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| North Dodge Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Gilbert Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Governor Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Church Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 42.7 mi, about 46m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,452 veh/hr typical · worst 1,728
Quietest
2 AM
~192 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 19 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iowa City, IA and Buffalo, IA.
1
Start on South Gilbert Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Gilbert Street
2
Turn right onto Church Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Church Street
3
Turn left onto IA 1
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Governor Street
4
Turn right onto IA 1
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dodge Street
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
6
Merge onto I 80
43 mi
·
46 min
·
I 80
7
Take the exit onto US 6
8.3 mi
·
10 min
·
US 6
Toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock Island, Moline
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward IA 22: Rockingham Road, Buffalo
9
Turn right onto IA 22
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Rockingham Road
10
Continue on IA 22
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
East Front Street
11
Turn right onto Jefferson Street
375 ft
·
17 sec
·
Jefferson Street
12
Turn left onto 2nd Street
35 ft
·
1 sec
·
2nd Street
13
Arrive at destination
2nd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.8 miles from Iowa City, 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 0.5 and 59.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Church Street
Turn right onto Church Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
IA 1 / North Governor Street
Turn left onto IA 1 / North Governor Street
Navigation decision point
5
45.8 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock Island, Moline
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock...
5
54.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward IA 22: Rockingham Road, Buffalo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 22: Rockingham Road, Buffalo
5
59.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
2nd Street
Turn left onto 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.24 one way
$18.48 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $10.13 | $20.26 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.56 | $23.13 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $13.14 | $26.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.34 | $3.81 |
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.
Destination
Buffalo, IA
Night in Buffalo on Wednesday
Local time
11:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
88°F
Wilton, 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
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 12m 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?
59.6 mi in 1h 12m, mostly highway — 42.7 mi of that is on I 80.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.7 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 6. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Church 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 12m 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: at 0.5 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (IA 1 / North Governor Street): Navigation decision point; at 45.8 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
776 ft
561 ft
Total Climb
239 ft
Total Descent
345 ft
Highest Point
776 ft
~38.3 mi in
Elevation Range
215 ft
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.
On the drive from Iowa City, IA to Buffalo, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Moline along the way.
Moline
45.8 mi in
|
~53m
|
via US 6
About the Cities
Starting in Iowa City, IA
Full guide →Founded 1839
Hip and urban, Iowa City is a prominent college town primarily known as the home of the University of Iowa. Along with its adjacent suburb of Coralville, just to the west. Iowa City sits at the center of a metro area home to 171,000 people (2020) in the I-380 Corridor region of Eastern Iowa.
Top landmarks
- • University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art — museum in Iowa City, Iowa
- • Vogt House — historic building located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- • First Johnson County Asylum — historic building located on the far west side of Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Arriving in Buffalo, IA
Full guide →The largest city in New York State's Niagara Frontier, Buffalo is a city full of surprises. Though Buffalo is sometimes the butt of jokes about chicken wings, its long-suffering sports teams, and the mountains of snow under which it is supposedly buried each winter, those in the know tell a different story: one of vibrant nightlife, world-class museums and cultural attractions, tight-knit neighborhoods with strong community spirit – and the sunniest summers in Northeastern United States.
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 12m. Total distance: 59.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.7 miles on I 80. 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 0.5 miles (Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (IA 1 / North Governor Street): Navigation decision point; at 45.8 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Buffalo, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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