Origin
Nashua, IA
Late night in Nashua on Tuesday
Local time
5:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Nashua, IA to Waterloo, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
40 mi
64 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nashua, IA
Andhika Indra Pratama
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Nashua to Waterloo is 40 miles and takes about 48 minutes via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Iowa, taking you from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Given the brief travel time and minimal fuel cost, this trip is ideal for a quick local excursion or an easy connection between towns. You'll find it's a straightforward trip with little need for extensive planning, perfect for when you just need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 32 mi | 36m |
| Leo P Rooff Expressway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| Sample Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| US 218 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 4th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 32 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nashua, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn left onto IA 346
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Sample Street
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
4
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
32 mi
·
36 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
5
Take the exit
317 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
6
Continue on US 218
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 218
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
7
Merge onto US 218
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Leo P Rooff Expressway
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
9
Turn straight onto Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Washington Street
10
Turn right onto West 4th Street
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 4th Street
11
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20 miles from Nashua, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 40 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 346 / Sample Street
Turn left onto IA 346 / Sample Street
Navigation decision point
3
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
4
33.3 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward US 218 south: Waterloo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
5
39.4 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers C...
5
40 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
West 4th Street
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.25 one way
$12.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.87 | $13.73 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.70 | $15.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.83 | $17.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16 | 0 | $5.60 | $2.56 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Waterloo, IA
Late night in Waterloo on Tuesday
Local time
5:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
59°F
Waverly, IA
20 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
48m 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?
This route is mostly surface roads, with only about 15% of the drive on highways. You'll spend the majority of your 48 minutes navigating local streets. The longest stretch on a primary road, Avenue of the Saints, covers 32 miles before you transition to other roads like Leo P Rooff Expressway and Sample Street. Expect a driving experience characterized by more frequent intersections and changes in speed limits as you move through towns and rural areas.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IA 346 / Sample 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 48m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (IA 346 / Sample Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 33.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Arriving in Waterloo, IA
Full guide →Waterloo is a city of 68,000 people (2020) in of Black Hawk County in Northeast Iowa. It adjoins the city of Cedar Falls. It is home to an important John Deere tractor factory, which offers tours.
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 48m. Total distance: 40 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (15%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32 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 (IA 346 / Sample Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 33.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Waterloo, 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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