Connecting Muscatine to Marshalltown, this 129.3-mile journey takes approximately 2 hours and 16 minutes to complete. Because the route is relatively short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You should budget about $19 for fuel to cover the entire trek through the heart of the Midwest. Navigating through local streets like East 3rd Street, Mulberry Avenue, and East 2nd Street requires your full attention compared to a standard highway haul. Since there are no designated stops on this path, you have the flexibility to make your own schedule. Overall, this drive is a straightforward local connection that serves as a practical link between these two Iowa cities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
66.3 miles from Muscatine, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 20m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 218
33.7 mi
39m
Lincoln Highway
31.8 mi
36m
I 80
30.9 mi
33m
Avenue of the Saints
16 mi
17m
State Highway 38
7.6 mi
10m
US 6
4.9 mi
7m
South Center Street
2.3 mi
3m
Park Avenue
2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
US 218
— 33.7 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Muscatine, IA and Marshalltown, IA.
1
Start on Walnut Street
157 ft·10 sec·Walnut Street
2
Turn left onto East 3rd Street
360 ft·17 sec·East 3rd Street
3
Turn right onto Mulberry Avenue
330 ft·9 sec·Mulberry Avenue
4
Enter roundabout onto US 61 Business
193 ft·3 sec·East 2nd Street
5
Continue on US 61 Business
0.6 mi·1 min·East 2nd Street
6
Continue on US 61 Business; IA 38; IA 92
2.0 mi·4 min·Park Avenue
7
Continue on IA 38
7.6 mi·10 min·State Highway 38
8
Continue on US 6
4.9 mi·7 min·US 6
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
10
Merge onto I 80
31 mi·33 min·I 80
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
13
Merge onto I 380; US 218; IA 27
16 mi·17 min·Avenue of the Saints
14
Take the exit onto US 218
34 mi·39 min·US 218
Toward US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North: Tama
15
Continue on US 30
32 mi·36 min·Lincoln Highway
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
17
Turn right onto IA 14
2.3 mi·3 min·South Center Street
18
Turn right onto IA 14
0.3 mi·29 sec·East Anson Street
19
Turn left onto IA 14
0.8 mi·1 min·South 3rd Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
IA 14
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 129.3-mile trip, aim to depart during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion on the local roads that make up your path. Since the drive takes just over two hours, you can easily complete it in one go, but keeping your $19 fuel budget in mind is essential before you head out. Because you won't be traveling on high-speed highways, your travel time will be more sensitive to local traffic patterns and stop-and-go conditions. Prioritize checking your navigation before leaving Muscatine, as the turn-heavy nature of the route requires frequent attention to your turns on Mulberry Avenue and East 2nd Street. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, so feel free to pull over whenever you need a break from the local city navigation.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 66.3 miles from Muscatine, IA, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 29 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.3 miles or 1h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Marshalltown, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Muscatine, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Muscatine, IA
This is one driving day of about 132.6 miles and 2h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Muscatine, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 218 for about 33.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 63.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East 3rd Street
Turn left onto East 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|US 61 Business / East 2nd Street
Enter roundabout onto US 61 Business / East 2nd Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
46.5 mi into trip|~58m in
Take the exit toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
6
46.8 mi into trip|~58m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar...
5
63.4 mi into trip|~1h 17m in|US 218
Take the exit onto US 218 toward US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North: Tama
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 30 West, US 151 South, US 218 North:...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.73 one way
$41.46 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg46 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$22.76
$45.52
premium
$4.89
$25.52
$51.04
diesel
$5.61
$29.28
$58.55
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
39.8
0
$13.92
$6.36
Efficient EV
33.2
0
$11.60
$5.30
EV Truck/SUV
53
0
$18.56
$8.49
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Muscatine, IA
Night
in Muscatine on Saturday
Local time
11:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Marshalltown, IA
Night
in Marshalltown on Saturday
Local time
11:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
5 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
2h 40m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that feels quite different from the typical interstate experience. Because 0% of this 129.3-mile route consists of highways, you will spend the entire time maneuvering through local traffic and city intersections. You won't find any long, monotonous stretches here; in fact, the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on East 3rd Street. This lack of highway travel means your speed will be lower and the pace more consistent with urban driving. Behind the wheel, you should stay alert, as the constant turns demand a more active driving style than cruising down a wide-open rural road.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.7 mi on US 218.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 3rd Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 132.6 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (East 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 61 Business / East 2nd Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 46.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Muscatine, IA to Marshalltown, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Waterloo along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 40m. Total distance: 132.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.7 miles on US 218. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 61 Business / East 2nd Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 46.5 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 Marshalltown, IA before heading back.
