Origin
Madrid, IA
Night in Madrid on Saturday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Madrid, IA to Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
26.6 mi
43 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Madrid, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Madrid to Des Moines, you are looking at a quick 34-mile journey through the heart of the Midwest. Expect the drive to take approximately 36 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that requires no overnight stops. With a fuel budget of just $5, this is an incredibly economical route to navigate between these two Iowa locations. You will primarily navigate via South Kennedy Avenue, Highway 17, and Y Avenue rather than relying on major interstates. Because this route is entirely local, it offers a straightforward transition between the two communities without the complexity of a long-haul commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Madrid Drive | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| Northwest Polk City Drive | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Northwest 2nd Street | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| 2nd Avenue | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| North Broadway Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Northwest 35th Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Southwest Oralabor Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Southwest State Street | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Northwest Madrid Drive
— 6.5 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Madrid, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on IA 210
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
East 1st Street
2
Turn right onto IA 17
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Kennedy Avenue
3
Continue on IA 17
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
State Highway 17
4
Continue on IA 17
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Y Avenue
5
Turn left onto Northwest Madrid Drive
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Northwest Madrid Drive
6
Continue on North Broadway Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
North Broadway Street
7
Turn right onto South 3rd Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South 3rd Street
8
Continue on IA 415
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Northwest Polk City Drive
9
Continue on IA 415
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Northwest 35th Street
10
Continue on IA 415
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
Northwest 78th Avenue
11
Continue on IA 415
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest Oralabor Road
12
Turn right onto IA 415
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest State Street
13
Continue on IA 415
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Northwest 2nd Street
14
Continue on IA 415
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
2nd Avenue
15
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
University Avenue
16
Continue on East University Avenue
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 18.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 17 / South Kennedy Avenue
Turn right onto IA 17 / South Kennedy Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
2.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Northwest Madrid Drive
Turn left onto Northwest Madrid Drive
Navigation decision point
4
10.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
South 3rd Street
Turn right onto South 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
3
18.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
IA 415 / Southwest State Street
Turn right onto IA 415 / Southwest State Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.16 one way
$8.32 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.57 | $9.13 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.12 | $10.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.87 | $11.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.28 |
| Efficient EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.33 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $1.70 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Des Moines, IA
Night in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
21 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
42m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this 34-mile path features zero percent highway share, keeping you off the main freeways entirely. You will find yourself navigating a series of turns rather than settling into a long, uninterrupted stretch of road. In fact, there is no single long stretch on this drive, as the route is defined by its transition through local corridors like South Kennedy Avenue. It is a technical, low-speed experience that feels much more personal than a standard highway trek.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.5 mi on Northwest Madrid Drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near IA 17 / South Kennedy Avenue.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Madrid, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 42m with 1% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (IA 17 / South Kennedy Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (Northwest Madrid Drive): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Full guide →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.
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 42m. Total distance: 26.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.5 miles on Northwest Madrid Drive. 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 0.4 miles (IA 17 / South Kennedy Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (Northwest Madrid Drive): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Des Moines, 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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