Origin
Tama, IA
Late night in Tama on Sunday
Local time
12:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tama, IA to Waterloo, 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 6m
Distance
45.4 mi
73 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tama, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Tama, IA to Waterloo, IA is 45.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via US 63, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest, specifically the state of Iowa, making it a convenient local journey. Given its brief duration and minimal cost, this route is ideal for a quick errand, a visit to a nearby city, or an easy day trip. You'll primarily be on highway, so expect a straightforward drive without many diversions. It's a practical choice for anyone looking to cover a modest distance efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 63 | 30.4 mi | 44m |
| J Avenue | 11.8 mi | 17m |
| South County Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Harding Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| State Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West 13th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| University Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 63
— 30.4 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tama, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on US 63
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
State Street
2
Turn left onto US 63
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
West 13th Street
3
Turn right onto US 63
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Harding Street
4
Continue on US 63
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South County Road
5
Continue on US 63
12 mi
·
17 min
·
J Avenue
6
At end of road, turn right onto US 63
30 mi
·
43 min
·
US 63
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto US 63
388 ft
·
9 sec
·
University Avenue
8
Turn straight onto US 63
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
US 63
9
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
10
Continue on Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Washington Street
11
Turn right onto West 4th Street
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 4th Street
12
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.7 miles from Tama, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 45.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 63 / West 13th Street
Turn left onto US 63 / West 13th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 63 / Harding Street
Turn right onto US 63 / Harding Street
Navigation decision point
7
14.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
US 63
At end of road, turn right onto US 63
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
44.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
US 63 / University Avenue
Turn right onto US 63 / University Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
45.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
West 4th Street
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.10 one way
$14.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.79 | $15.59 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.74 | $17.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.02 | $20.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.77 | $2.18 |
| Efficient EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.97 | $1.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.36 | $2.91 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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 Sunday
Local time
12:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
33°F
Partly Cloudy
NW 17 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
15 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 6m 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 67% of the journey on faster roads like US 63. You'll experience a longest stretch of 30.4 miles on US 63, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of the trip. The route incorporates some local roads, including J Avenue and South County Road, which will likely offer a change of scenery and pace compared to the main highway. Expect a mix of open road driving on US 63 and potentially more varied conditions as you transition to county roads, though the overall feel remains efficient and direct.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.4 mi on US 63.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 63 and J Avenue. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near US 63 / West 13th Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Tama, IA to Waterloo, IA is easy. At 1h 6m with 67% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (US 63 / West 13th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 63 / Harding Street): Navigation decision point; at 14.6 miles (US 63): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 45.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.4 miles on US 63. 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 0.3 miles (US 63 / West 13th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 63 / Harding Street): Navigation decision point; at 14.6 miles (US 63): Lane positioning matters here.
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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