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Trip from Prairie City, 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

29m

Distance

19.8 mi

32 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 27m ★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m

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 Prairie City, IA, IA

Prairie City, IA

Charles Criscuolo

Downtown Des Moines, IA, IA

Des Moines, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Prairie City to Des Moines is 19.8 miles and takes about 29 minutes via IA 163, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive keeps you within the Midwest region, specifically within Iowa, making it a convenient local trip. The profile is highway-focused, so expect a quick and direct journey. This route is ideal for a same-day excursion, offering a straightforward connection between two Iowa points without requiring an overnight stay. It's a practical option for getting from point A to point B efficiently.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
IA 163 18.4 mi 26m
East 2nd Street 0.8 mi 1m
South State Street 0.2 mi <1m
East 5th Street <0.1 mi <1m
East University Avenue — —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: IA 163 — 18.4 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Prairie City, IA and Des Moines, IA.

1

Start on East 5th Street

344 ft · 17 sec · East 5th Street
2

Turn right onto IA 117

0.2 mi · 19 sec · South State Street
3

Turn right onto IA 117

0.8 mi · 1 min · East 2nd Street
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 50 sec
5

Merge onto IA 163

18 mi · 26 min · IA 163
6

Arrive at destination

East University Avenue

Heads-up: tricky spots

4 of 4

4 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 1.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | IA 117 / South State Street

Turn right onto IA 117 / South State Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | IA 117 / East 2nd Street

Turn right onto IA 117 / East 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

3
1.1 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

3
1.4 mi into trip | ~2m in | IA 163

Merge onto IA 163

Merge point - match speed before joining

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.10 one way

$6.19 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $3.40 $6.80
premium $4.89 $3.81 $7.62
diesel $5.61 $4.37 $8.74

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.9 0 $2.08 $0.95
Efficient EV 5 0 $1.73 $0.79
EV Truck/SUV 7.9 0 $2.77 $1.27

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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 19, 2026

Origin

Prairie City, IA

Morning in Prairie City on Sunday

Local time

9:41 AM

CDT

Current temp

34°F

Mostly Clear

WSW 8 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:13AM CDT until April 20 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 19 at 2:10AM CDT until April 20 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Des Moines, IA

Morning in Des Moines on Sunday

Local time

9:41 AM

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

18 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

29m 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?

This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 93% of the journey on main roads like IA 163, East 2nd Street, and South State Street. You'll experience a fairly uninterrupted stretch of 18.4 miles on IA 163, suggesting a consistent pace for most of the trip. The road character leans towards efficient travel rather than winding scenic byways. Expect a direct experience with minimal deviations from the primary highway, making it a no-fuss transit.

93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.4 mi on IA 163.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IA 163 and East 2nd Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IA 117 / South State Street.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Prairie City, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 29m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (IA 117 / South State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (IA 117 / East 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: 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 29m. Total distance: 19.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

29m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (93%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18.4 miles on IA 163. 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 117 / South State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (IA 117 / East 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: 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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