Origin
Webster City, IA
Night in Webster City on Saturday
Local time
11:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Webster City, IA to Ames, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
45.4 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Webster City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward connection between Webster City and Ames, this 45.4-mile trek is an ideal day trip. Expect to spend about 54 minutes behind the wheel, making it a quick and efficient transit through the heart of the Midwest. With fuel costs estimated at just $7, it is an incredibly budget-friendly excursion that doesn't require an overnight stay. You will primarily utilize I-35, US 20, and East 13th Street to complete the journey. Because the trip is short and simple, it offers plenty of flexibility for your schedule, allowing you to easily travel between these Iowa communities without any complex logistical planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 28.1 mi | 30m |
| US 20 | 11.9 mi | 13m |
| East 13th Street | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Superior Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| I 35 Business | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Briggs Woods Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 13th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 28.1 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Webster City, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on CR D20
60 ft
·
5 sec
·
2nd Street
2
Turn right onto Superior Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Superior Street
3
Continue on IA 17
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Briggs Woods Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward US 20 East
5
Merge onto US 20
12 mi
·
13 min
·
US 20
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
7
Merge onto I 35
28 mi
·
30 min
·
I 35
8
Take the exit onto I 35 Business
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 35 Business
Toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
9
Turn right onto I 35 Business
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East 13th Street
10
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
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 Webster City, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 42.6 — 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
|
Superior Street
Turn right onto Superior Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 20 East
Navigation decision point
Toward US 20 East
3
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 20
Merge onto US 20
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
13.8 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 35 South: Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
4
42.6 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
I 35 Business
Take the exit onto I 35 Business toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 35 Business: USDA Veterinary Labs
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
Ames, IA
Night in Ames on Saturday
Local time
11:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 9 mph
27% chance
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
33 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
54m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 89% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will experience a steady, consistent pace as you navigate the route, highlighted by a longest uninterrupted stretch of 28.1 miles on I-35. The transition from the rural feel of Webster City to the more active environment of Ames happens quickly given the high highway percentage. Expect an straightforward, functional driving experience that prioritizes speed and efficiency over winding backroads. It is a no-nonsense commute that gets you from point A to point B with minimal navigation stress.
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: 28.1 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 20. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Superior Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 54m drive. You will face about 7 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 (Superior Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 20): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,206 ft
944 ft
Total Climb
223 ft
Total Descent
318 ft
Highest Point
1,206 ft
~9.7 mi in
Elevation Range
261 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Ames, IA
Full guide →Ames is a pleasant college town in Central Iowa, sitting astride the Skunk River roughly 30 miles north of Des Moines. Life in Ames follows the ebb and flow of the academic year at Iowa State University, which is the city's primary draw.
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 54m. Total distance: 45.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m 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 28.1 miles on I 35. 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 (Superior Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 20): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ames, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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