How far is Glenwood, IA from Iowa City, IA?

The driving distance from Glenwood, IA to Iowa City, IA is about 259.2 miles (417.1 km), with a travel time of about 03h 54m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 222.5 miles (358.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 49m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
259.16 mi
03h 54m
Flight
222.53 mi
358.13 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Glenwood.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
222.53 mi
Kilometers
358.13 km
Flight Time
00h 26m

Driving Distance

Road route
259.16 mi
Kilometers
417.07 km
Drive Time
03h 54m

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 03h 54m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Iowa City
Sun, Apr 19, 10:29 AM CDT
Return by in Glenwood
Sun, Apr 19, 2:24 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Glenwood
2026-04-19T06:34
Arrive Iowa City
Sun, Apr 19, 10:29 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 54m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:55 AM to 11:55 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:10 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Glenwood
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Waukee
IA

City in Dallas County, Iowa, United States of America

From Glenwood
129.4 mi
01h 57m
To Iowa City
129.7 mi
01h 57m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph W
Destination
56°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Glenwood and Iowa City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Glenwood and Iowa City.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    63 m · 16 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Vine Street

    42 m · 10 sec · North Vine Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Sharp Street

    3268 ft · 1 min · Sharp Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Hilman Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Hilman Road

  5. 5

    Turn right

    2.4 mi · 3 min

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right

    13.1 mi · 15 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 East: Des Moines

    1.1 km · 46 sec

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    118.2 mi · 2 hr 7 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City

    14.4 mi · 17 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left

    106.9 mi · 1 hr 56 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown

    2061 ft · 53 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right onto North Dubuque Street

    1.5 km · 3 min · North Dubuque Street

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Kimball Road

    145 m · 21 sec · Kimball Road

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on North Gilbert Street

    1.3 km · 3 min · North Gilbert Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Gilbert Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Glenwood and Iowa City.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
15 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
0 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 35
121 mi · 47%
I 80 East
119 mi · 46%
Hilman Road
14 mi · 5%
North Dubuque Street
0.95 mi
North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
Sharp Street
0.62 mi
Longest Stretch

I 80 East

Continue straight

118 mi · 02h 07m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 54m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+36.7 mi
222.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Waukee
01h 57m from Glenwood
Leave By
9:10 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Glenwood and Sunny near Iowa City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Glenwood to Iowa City?

The road trip is about 259.2 miles (417.1 km) and usually takes 03h 54m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Waukee is a useful midpoint, sitting about 129.4 miles from Glenwood and 129.7 miles from Iowa City.

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

The direct path is about 222.5 miles (358.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 36.7 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 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:10 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $34.50 one way or $69.01 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 81.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Glenwood and Sunny near Iowa City.

Stop Ideas Near Waukee

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Waukee, 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 Waukee.

RAIL

Osceola

65 mi away
Main & East Clay Streets
RAIL

Creston

73 mi away
Pine and Adams Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Glenwood and Iowa City. Straight-line distance: 222.53 mi (358.13 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Glenwood

City in Iowa

Population5,261
Coordinates41.0469400, -95.7425100
Altitude310
CountryUnited States
Iowa City

#2 Iowa City

The most populous city in Johnson County, Iowa.

Population75,130
Coordinates41.6611300, -91.5301700
Altitude204
CountryUnited States
Start: (-95.742512, 41.046903)
End: South Gilbert Street (-91.530165, 41.661126)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 417 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 38m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 28m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 10m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 19m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 42m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.15 gal
34.62 L · about $34.50
Round trip
$69.01
18.3 gal · 69.24 L
Estimated CO2
81.3 kg one way
Round trip: 162.6 kg / 358 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $34.50 $69.01
Mid-grade $4.25 $38.91 $77.83
Premium $4.65 $42.58 $85.17
Diesel $5.30 $48.53 $97.06

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Glenwood and Iowa City. The current time is 06:34:30.

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.