Origin
Tiffin, IA
Late night in Tiffin on Sunday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tiffin, 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
16m
Distance
9.1 mi
15 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tiffin, IA
FOX ^.ᆽ.^= ∫
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Tiffin to Iowa City is 9.1 miles and takes about 16m via I 80, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Iowa. It's a straightforward drive that connects two points efficiently, making it a practical choice for a quick transfer. You'll primarily be on interstate, so expect a no-frills journey. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for anyone who wants to get from point A to point B without much fuss, perhaps to visit friends or move between nearby towns.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| 2nd Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| East Marengo Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Dubuque Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Gilbert Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Coral Ridge Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kimball Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 2.9 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tiffin, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on East 3rd Street
59 ft
·
4 sec
·
East 3rd Street
2
Turn right onto Main Street
379 ft
·
19 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto US 6
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Marengo Road
4
Enter roundabout onto US 6
140 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Marengo Road
5
Continue on US 6
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
East Marengo Road
6
Continue on US 6
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
2nd Street
7
Turn left onto Coral Ridge Avenue
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Coral Ridge Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
9
Merge onto I 80
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
I 80
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Downtown
11
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Dubuque Street
12
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kimball Road
13
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Gilbert Street
14
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 8.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Main Street
Turn right onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 6 / East Marengo Road
Turn right onto US 6 / East Marengo Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 6 / East Marengo Road
Enter roundabout onto US 6 / East Marengo Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
6.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Downtown
4
8.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
North Gilbert Street
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.42 one way
$2.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.56 | $3.12 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.75 | $3.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.01 | $4.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.96 | $0.44 |
| Efficient EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.80 | $0.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.27 | $0.58 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
Iowa City, IA
Late night in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°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
23 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
16m 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 drive offers a mixed bag, with 32% of the journey on the interstate. You'll experience a 2.9-mile stretch on I 80, which provides a taste of highway speed before transitioning to local roads. Expect the character to shift from open highway to more contained urban or suburban thoroughfares as you approach your destination. The drive progresses with a clear change in pace and environment, moving from the broader strokes of interstate travel to the more specific context of city streets like 2nd Street and East Marengo Road.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.9 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 9.1 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 6 / East Marengo Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (US 6 / East Marengo Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Tiffin, IA to Iowa City, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
Downtown
6.9 mi in
|
~10m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 9.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 2.9 miles on I 80. 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 (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 6 / East Marengo Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (US 6 / East Marengo Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
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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