How far is Dubuque, IA from Clarinda, IA?

The driving distance from Dubuque, IA to Clarinda, IA is about 316.7 miles (509.6 km), with a travel time of about 06h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 256.5 miles (412.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 41m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
316.66 mi
06h 20m
Flight
256.52 mi
412.83 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Dubuque.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
256.52 mi
Kilometers
412.83 km
Flight Time
00h 30m

Driving Distance

Road route
316.66 mi
Kilometers
509.61 km
Drive Time
06h 20m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 06h 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Clarinda
Wed, Apr 29, 10:54 PM CDT
Return by in Dubuque
Thu, Apr 30, 5:14 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Dubuque
2026-04-29T16:33
Arrive Clarinda
Wed, Apr 29, 10:54 PM CDT
Route Timing
06h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:21 PM to 1:51 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:18 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Dubuque
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Rhodes
IA

City in Iowa, United States

From Dubuque
158.1 mi
03h 10m
To Clarinda
158.5 mi
03h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
43°F
Overnight

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 29 12:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph NW
Destination
39°F
Overnight

Partly Cloudy

Starts
Wed, Apr 29 12:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Dubuque and Clarinda.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dubuque and Clarinda.

  1. 1

    Start on Central Avenue

    929 ft · 34 sec · Central Avenue

  2. 2

    Take the ramp straight toward US 61 South, US 151 South

    1021 ft · 28 sec

  3. 3

    Continue straight

    5.6 mi · 8 min

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right

    57 mi · 1 hr 6 min

  5. 5

    Turn left

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  6. 6

    Turn right

    15.2 mi · 19 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 30 West, US 218 North: Tama, Marshalltown

    1.2 km · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto 16th Avenue Southwest

    2.4 mi · 3 min · 16th Avenue Southwest

  9. 9

    Continue on 73rd Street

    24.4 mi · 28 min · 73rd Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Lincoln Highway

    37.3 mi · 43 min · Lincoln Highway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward IA 330: Melbourne, Des Moines

    1818 ft · 46 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Marshalltown Boulevard

    33.7 mi · 40 min · Marshalltown Boulevard

  13. 13

    Continue on Northeast Hubbell Avenue

    1.1 km · 58 sec · Northeast Hubbell Avenue

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines

    13 mi · 16 min

  15. 15

    Continue straight

    5.6 mi · 6 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Omaha

    62.3 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon

    1922 ft · 49 sec

  18. 18

    Turn left onto 650th Street

    6.5 mi · 9 min · 650th Street

  19. 19

    Turn right onto East 7th Street

    2 mi · 3 min · East 7th Street

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Whitney Street

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Whitney Street

  21. 21

    Continue on 630th Street

    44.6 mi · 1 hr 1 min · 630th Street

  22. 22

    Turn right onto 210 Street

    1.5 km · 2 min · 210 Street

  23. 23

    Continue on East Washington Street

    1.3 km · 1 min · East Washington Street

  24. 24

    Turn right onto North 16th Street

    59 m · 9 sec · North 16th Street

  25. 25

    Turn left

    11 m · 3 sec

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Dubuque and Clarinda.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
26 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
1 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 80 west
80.9 mi · 26%
US 61 South
62.8 mi · 20%
630th Street
44.6 mi · 14%
Lincoln Highway
37.3 mi · 12%
Marshalltown Boulevard
33.7 mi · 11%
73rd Street
24.4 mi · 8%
Longest Stretch

I 80 West

Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Omaha

62.3 mi · 01h 07m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 20m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+60.2 mi
256.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Rhodes
03h 10m from Dubuque
Leave By
11:18 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Dubuque and Partly Cloudy near Clarinda.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Dubuque to Clarinda?

The road trip is about 316.7 miles (509.6 km) and usually takes 06h 20m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Rhodes is a useful midpoint, sitting about 158.1 miles from Dubuque and 158.5 miles from Clarinda.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 256.5 miles (412.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 60.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $42.12 one way or $84.24 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 99.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Dubuque and Partly Cloudy near Clarinda.

Stop Ideas Near Rhodes

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Rhodes, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Rhodes.

RAIL

Osceola

110 mi away
Main & East Clay Streets
RAIL

Ottumwa station

119 mi away
210 West Main Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Dubuque and Clarinda. Straight-line distance: 256.52 mi (412.83 km).

Dubuque

#1 Dubuque

The most populous city in Dubuque County, Iowa.

Population57,781
Coordinates42.5005600, -90.6645700
Altitude189
CountryUnited States
Clarinda

#2 Clarinda

City in Iowa

Population5,366
Coordinates40.7398100, -95.0380000
Altitude318
CountryUnited States
Start: Dubuque (-90.66457, 42.50056)
End: Clarinda (-95.038, 40.73981)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 510 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 33m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 55m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 31m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 57m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.17 gal
42.3 L · about $42.12
Round trip
$84.24
22.34 gal · 84.6 L
Estimated CO2
99.3 kg one way
Round trip: 198.5 kg / 438 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $42.12 $84.24
Mid-grade $4.25 $47.51 $95.01
Premium $4.65 $51.99 $103.97
Diesel $5.30 $59.25 $118.49

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Iowa · Apr 29, 2026

There is no time difference between Dubuque and Clarinda. The current time is 16:33:37.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.