Origin
Tipton, IA
Late night in Tipton on Sunday
Local time
5:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tipton, 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
39m
Distance
28.1 mi
45 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tipton, IA
Tom Fisk
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 28.1-mile journey from Tipton to Iowa City, Iowa, is easily manageable within a single day, taking approximately 39 minutes to complete. With a modest fuel cost of around $4, this drive through the Midwest region of Iowa is straightforward and efficient. The route primarily utilizes I 80, with some segments on Cedar Valley Road and Garfield Avenue, making it a practical option for a quick trip. Its brevity means you can easily fit it into a busy schedule, and it's ideal for those looking for a simple, direct connection between two points in the heartland.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 12.7 mi | 13m |
| Cedar Valley Road | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| Garfield Avenue | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| North Dodge Street | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| West South Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Gilbert Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Church Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 12.7 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tipton, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on this road
118 ft
·
12 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto East 5th Street
50 ft
·
7 sec
·
East 5th Street
3
Turn left onto IA 38
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Cedar Street
4
Turn right onto West South Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West South Street
5
Continue on CR F36
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Cedar Valley Road
6
Turn left onto CR X40
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Garfield Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
8
Merge onto I 80
13 mi
·
13 min
·
I 80
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
10
Turn left onto IA 1
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Dodge Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto Church Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Church Street
12
Turn left onto North Gilbert Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Gilbert Street
13
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 25.3 — 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
|
East 5th Street
Turn left onto East 5th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IA 38 / Cedar Street
Turn left onto IA 38 / Cedar Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West South Street
Turn right onto West South Street
Navigation decision point
4
25 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward IA 1: Mount Vernon
4
25.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
IA 1 / North Dodge Street
Turn left onto IA 1 / North Dodge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.39 one way
$8.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.82 | $9.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.41 | $10.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.20 | $12.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.95 | $1.35 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.93 | $1.80 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
5:23 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
2 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
39m 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 driving experience, with about 45% of the route on the interstate. You'll encounter stretches on I 80, which can be quite efficient, including one uninterrupted segment of 12.7 miles. The remainder of the drive will involve navigating local roads like Cedar Valley Road and Garfield Avenue, offering a different pace. Expect the road to transition between the higher speeds of the highway and the more local feel of the secondary roads as you approach your destination.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.7 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 5th 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 39m drive. You will face about 10 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 (East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (IA 38 / Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (West South Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 28.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.7 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 (East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (IA 38 / Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (West South Street): Navigation decision point.
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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