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Trip from New London, IA to Iowa City, 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 13m

Distance

57.6 mi

93 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

7 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 7m ★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown New London, IA, IA

New London, IA

Willemijn Doelman

city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States

Iowa City, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 57.6-mile drive from New London to Iowa City is a straightforward, one-day trip that takes about 1 hour and 13 minutes. You'll primarily be on local roads, with only about 11% of the route being on highways, so expect a more hands-on driving experience. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $9, making it an economical option. Given its short distance and duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times. The drive stays within Iowa, offering a glimpse into the heart of the Midwest.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Avenue of the Saints 46 mi 53m
US 34 5.2 mi 6m
260th Street 1.4 mi 2m
South Gilbert Street 1.1 mi 2m
Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast 0.9 mi 1m
South Riverside Drive 0.7 mi 1m
Old Highway 218 South 0.6 mi 1m
East Main Street 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Avenue of the Saints — 46 mi, about 53m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between New London, IA and Iowa City, IA.

1

Start on this road

71 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto North Oak Street

447 ft · 21 sec · North Oak Street
3

Turn right onto East Main Street

0.5 mi · 57 sec · East Main Street
4

Continue on 260th Street

1.4 mi · 2 min · 260th Street
5

Turn right onto US 34; IA 163

4.4 mi · 5 min · US 34; IA 163
6

Take the exit onto US 34; IA 163

0.8 mi · 1 min · US 34; IA 163
Toward US 218, IA 27 North: Iowa City, Fairfield
7

Merge onto US 34; US 218; IA 27; IA 163

1.8 mi · 2 min · Avenue of the Saints
8

Keep slight left at fork onto US 218; IA 27

44 mi · 51 min · Avenue of the Saints
9

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward Airport
10

Continue on Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast

0.9 mi · 1 min · Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
11

Continue on Old Highway 218 South

0.6 mi · 1 min · Old Highway 218 South
12

Continue on South Riverside Drive

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Riverside Drive
13

Turn right onto US 6

0.4 mi · 1 min · Highway 6 East
14

Turn left onto South Gilbert Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · South Gilbert Street
15

Arrive at destination

South Gilbert Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Crawfordsville, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Crawfordsville, IA

29 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

Mount Pleasant, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Crawfordsville, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.8 miles from New London, 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 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 53.2 — 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 | North Oak Street

Turn right onto North Oak Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Main Street

Turn right onto East Main Street

Navigation decision point

5
6.4 mi into trip | ~9m in | US 34; IA 163

Take the exit onto US 34; IA 163 toward US 218, IA 27 North: Iowa City, Fairfield

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 218, IA 27 North: Iowa City, Fairfiel...
4
9 mi into trip | ~12m in | US 218; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints

Keep slight left at fork onto US 218; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

4
53.2 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in

Take the exit toward Airport

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward Airport

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.01 one way

$18.01 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.89 $19.77
premium $4.89 $11.08 $22.17
diesel $5.61 $12.72 $25.43

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.3 0 $6.05 $2.76
Efficient EV 14.4 0 $5.04 $2.30
EV Truck/SUV 23 0 $8.06 $3.69

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 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 14, 2026

Origin

New London, IA

Morning in New London on Sunday

Local time

7:12 AM

CDT

Current temp

83°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 15 mph 23% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 4:46PM CDT until April 14 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 4:44PM CDT until April 14 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA

Destination

Iowa City, IA

Morning in Iowa City on Sunday

Local time

7:12 AM

CDT

Current temp

82°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

SW 15 mph 40% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 4:46PM CDT until April 14 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 4:44PM CDT until April 14 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA

52°F

Crawfordsville, IA

29 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 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 13m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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 on this route. With a highway share of only 11%, most of your journey will be on less direct roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 46 miles along the Avenue of the Saints. This means you'll be navigating through various local routes, including US 34 and 260th Street, which will likely involve more frequent adjustments and a different pace than a pure highway cruise. The road personality shifts from more open stretches to potentially more intricate sections as you make your way north.

Only 11% 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: 46 mi on Avenue of the Saints.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

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 early in the drive near North Oak Street.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 13m 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: near the start (North Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (US 34; IA 163): 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.

Between New London, IA and Iowa City, IA, road signs point toward Fairfield and Airport.

Fairfield

6.4 mi in | ~9m | via US 34; IA 163

Airport

53.2 mi in | ~1h 3m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 57.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (11%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 46 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: near the start (North Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (US 34; IA 163): 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 Iowa City, 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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