Origin
Marion, IA
Night in Marion on Saturday
Local time
11:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Marion, IA to Dubuque, 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 20m
Distance
65.8 mi
106 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Marion, IA
Joanna Bogacz
Dubuque, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 65.8-mile drive from Marion, IA to Dubuque, IA is a straightforward, one-day trip that can be completed in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. With a modest fuel cost of around $10, it's an economical option for a quick getaway within the Midwest region. The route primarily utilizes local roads, with a small percentage on highways, suggesting a less hurried pace. This journey is perfect for a spontaneous day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. You'll be navigating a series of local roads for most of the way, so expect a more connected feel to the landscape.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 200th Avenue | 32.4 mi | 37m |
| Marion Airport Road | 24.1 mi | 27m |
| US 151 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| 10th Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| 7th Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| US 61 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| 8th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| White Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
200th Avenue
— 32.4 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Marion, IA and Dubuque, IA.
1
Start on 8th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
8th Avenue
2
Turn right onto 14th Street
315 ft
·
19 sec
·
14th Street
3
Turn left onto US 151 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Avenue
4
Enter roundabout onto US 151 Business
215 ft
·
5 sec
·
7th Avenue
5
Continue on US 151 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
7th Avenue
6
Continue on US 151 Business
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
10th Avenue
7
Continue on US 151
24 mi
·
27 min
·
Marion Airport Road
8
Continue on US 151
32 mi
·
37 min
·
200th Avenue
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 151
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
US 151
10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 61; US 151
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 61; US 151
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 189A
Toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
12
Continue on White Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
White Street
13
Turn left onto East 7th Street
284 ft
·
19 sec
·
East 7th Street
14
Turn left onto Central Avenue
31 ft
·
1 sec
·
Central Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.9 miles from Marion, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 65.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
14th Street
Turn right onto 14th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 151 Business / 7th Avenue
Turn left onto US 151 Business / 7th Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
65.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 189A
Toward White Street, Port of Dubuque
5
65.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
|
East 7th Street
Turn left onto East 7th Street
Navigation decision point
5
65.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
|
Central Avenue
Turn left onto Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.29 one way
$20.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.29 | $22.59 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.66 | $25.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.53 | $29.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.91 | $3.16 |
| Efficient EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.76 | $2.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.3 | 0 | $9.21 | $4.21 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Dubuque, IA
Night in Dubuque on Saturday
Local time
11:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
47°F
Monticello, IA
33 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
2 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
1h 20m 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 the majority of this 65.8-mile journey. Only about 9% of the route involves highway driving, meaning you'll be on local roads for most of your 1 hour and 20-minute trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch is a significant 32.4 miles on 200th Avenue, offering a chance to settle in before navigating through more varied local roads. This profile suggests a drive where you'll be making frequent turns and encountering a mix of rural and possibly smaller town settings rather than a high-speed highway experience.
Only 9% 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: 32.4 mi on 200th Avenue.
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 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near 14th 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 65.8 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.2 miles (14th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 151 Business / 7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 65.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Dubuque, IA
Full guide →Dubuque, founded in 1833, is the oldest city in Iowa. A port on the upper Mississippi River, it is situated along scenic bluffs facing the river, and has its roots in a mining and trading settlement established in the area by Quebec-born entrepreneur Julien Dubuque in 1788. The city's population is 57,686 (2000 Census), and the estimated population of the Dubuque metropolitan area is 93,072.
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 20m. Total distance: 65.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (9%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.4 miles on 200th Avenue. 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 0.2 miles (14th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 151 Business / 7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 65.3 miles: 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 Dubuque, 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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