Origin
Van Meter, IA
Late night in Van Meter on Tuesday
Local time
5:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Van Meter, IA to Des Moines, IA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
20.4 mi
33 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Van Meter, IA
Joaquin Carfagna
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 20.4-mile journey from Van Meter, IA to Des Moines, IA is easily manageable in a single day, taking approximately 26 minutes to complete. The drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 89% of the route utilizing major roadways like I 80 and John MacVicar Freeway. Given its brevity, this trip doesn't require an overnight stay and can be completed with a minimal fuel cost estimated at around $3. It's a straightforward drive through the Midwest, perfect for a quick commute or an easy extension of local travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 9.1 mi | 9m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 8.9 mi | 11m |
| R Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Mill Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East University Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 9.1 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Van Meter, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn left onto CR R16
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Mill Street
3
Continue on CR R16
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
R Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I-80 east: Des Moines
5
Merge onto I 80
9.1 mi
·
9 min
·
I 80
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 235
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
Exit 123A
Toward I 235 East: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 8B
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
9
Turn left onto East University Avenue
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Avenue
10
Arrive at destination
East University Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 19.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR R16 / Mill Street
Turn left onto CR R16 / Mill Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I-80 east: Des Moines
Navigation decision point
Toward I-80 east: Des Moines
8
10.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway toward I 235 East: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123A
Toward I 235 East: Des Moines
8
19.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward East Village, East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward East Village, East 6th Street, Pennsylva...
4
19.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Pennsylvania Avenue
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.19 one way
$6.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.50 | $7.00 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.93 | $7.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.50 | $9.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 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 | 6.1 | 0 | $2.14 | $0.98 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
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.
Destination
Des Moines, IA
Late night in Des Moines on Tuesday
Local time
5:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
1 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
26m 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?
Expect a highway-intensive experience for most of this drive, with 89% of the 20.4 miles on major roads. You'll encounter an uninterrupted stretch of 9.1 miles on I 80, offering a consistent pace. While primarily a highway-focused profile, the route also incorporates sections of R Avenue, which may offer a slight change in scenery before rejoining the freeway. The majority of your time behind the wheel will be on fast-paced, direct routes connecting Van Meter and Des Moines.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.1 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and John MacVicar Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CR R16 / Mill 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 26m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR R16 / Mill Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.6 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Full guide →Founded 1843
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.
Top landmarks
- • Iowa State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Iowa
- • St. Ambrose Cathedral — church in Iowa, United States
- • Des Moines Art Center — art museum in Des Moines, Iowa
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 26m. Total distance: 20.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.1 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: at 0.2 miles (CR R16 / Mill Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.6 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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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