Origin
Sioux City, IA
Late night in Sioux City on Tuesday
Local time
5:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 59m
Distance
268 mi
431 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sioux City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
New Sharon, IA
Guilherme Simão
Sioux City, IA to New Sharon, IA is 268 miles and takes about 4h 59m via I 80, I 29, and State Highway 146, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, primarily traversing Iowa. Given its relatively short duration and highway-focused profile, it’s a straightforward drive suited for a single day. You'll be on major interstates for almost the entire journey, making it efficient for getting from point A to point B without much complication.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
134 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 28m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 154.5 mi | 2h 47m |
| I 29 | 75.6 mi | 1h 21m |
| State Highway 146 | 17.9 mi | 24m |
| I 880 | 16 mi | 17m |
| Floyd Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Court Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and New Sharon, IA.
Start on this road
Turn left onto 9th Street
Turn right onto Court Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Turn right onto Floyd Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 29
Take the exit
Continue on I 880
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Take the exit
Turn right onto IA 146
Continue on IA 146
Arrive at destination
For this 4h 59m drive, leaving in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and allow for flexibility. Since it's a single-day trip covering 268 miles, you can comfortably complete it without needing to stop overnight. The longest stretch without a significant break is 154.5 miles on I 80, so plan for a fuel or rest stop before or around that point. Keep an eye on the transition from I 80 to State Highway 146 as you approach New Sharon, as this marks the shift to a different road type.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 59 miles or 1h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134 miles or 2h 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New Sharon, IA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Sioux City, 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 Sioux City, IA
This is one driving day of about 268 miles and 4h 59m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
134 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.
A short stop after about 59 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 134 miles from Sioux City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 80 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 154.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 249.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Floyd Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward IA 146: Grinnell, New Sharon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$41.90 one way
$83.80 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $46.00 | $92.01 |
| premium | $4.89 | $51.57 | $103.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $59.17 | $118.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 80.4 | 0 | $28.14 | $12.86 |
| Efficient EV | 67 | 0 | $23.45 | $10.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 107.2 | 1 | $37.52 | $17.15 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Sioux City on Tuesday
Local time
5:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in New Sharon on Tuesday
Local time
5:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
41°F
Avoca, IA
134 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is overwhelmingly on highways, with 99% of the route utilizing them. You'll encounter a 154.5-mile stretch on I 80, which means long, uninterrupted cruising. The transition to surface roads happens near the end, as State Highway 146 makes up the final portion. Expect a consistent flow of traffic and frequent exits on the interstate segments.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 29. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near 5th Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 268 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (5th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Floyd Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 94 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Sioux City, IA and New Sharon, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis and Kansas City.
Minneapolis
Kansas City
Sioux City is on the western edge of the state of Iowa. It is on the Missouri River and many parts of Sioux City are among the unique Loess Hills formations.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 59m. Total distance: 268 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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