How far is Iowa City, IA from Belle Plaine, IA?

The driving distance from Iowa City, IA to Belle Plaine, IA is about 46.3 miles (74.5 km), with a travel time of about 01h 11m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 41.8 miles (67.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 22m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
46.3 mi
01h 11m
Flight
41.84 mi
67.34 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Iowa City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
41.84 mi
Kilometers
67.34 km
Flight Time
00h 05m

Driving Distance

Road route
46.3 mi
Kilometers
74.51 km
Drive Time
01h 11m

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 01h 11m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Belle Plaine
Sun, Apr 12, 8:43 AM CDT
Return by in Iowa City
Sun, Apr 12, 9:55 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Iowa City
2026-04-12T07:32
Arrive Belle Plaine
Sun, Apr 12, 8:43 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 11m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:11 AM to 11:11 AM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:08 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Iowa City
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Marengo
IA

Town and county of Iowa County, Iowa, United States

From Iowa City
23.1 mi
00h 35m
To Belle Plaine
23.2 mi
00h 35m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Sunday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 1:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph S
Destination
72°F
Sunday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 1:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Iowa City and Belle Plaine.

  1. 1

    Start on South Gilbert Street

    120 m · 18 sec · South Gilbert Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto East Washington Street

    1214 ft · 43 sec · East Washington Street

  3. 3

    Continue on East Washington Street

    845 ft · 31 sec · East Washington Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto South Madison Street

    129 m · 22 sec · South Madison Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto West Iowa Avenue

    1221 ft · 38 sec · West Iowa Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn right onto South Riverside Drive

    142 m · 15 sec · South Riverside Drive

  7. 7

    Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

    1.6 km · 2 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on 2nd Street

    5.1 mi · 9 min · 2nd Street

  9. 9

    Continue on East Marengo Road

    1316 ft · 22 sec · East Marengo Road

  10. 10

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grand Army of the Republic Highway

    44 m · 2 sec · East Marengo Road

  11. 11

    Exit the rotary onto East Marengo Road

    2 mi · 3 min · East Marengo Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

    10.7 mi · 15 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

    10.8 mi · 15 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Western Avenue

    2692 ft · 50 sec · Western Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn left onto West South Street

    1321 ft · 22 sec · West South Street

  16. 16

    Continue on 212th Boulevard

    11.2 mi · 17 min · 212th Boulevard

  17. 17

    Turn right onto State Highway 21

    1.4 mi · 2 min · State Highway 21

  18. 18

    Continue on 11th Avenue

    1.5 mi · 2 min · 11th Avenue

  19. 19

    Continue on 7th Avenue

    1.3 km · 1 min · 7th Avenue

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 7th Avenue

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
20 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
0 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
43.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
22.4 mi · 48%
212th Boulevard
11.2 mi · 24%
2nd Street
5.12 mi · 11%
East Marengo Road
2.28 mi · 5%
11th Avenue
1.52 mi · 3%
State Highway 21
1.37 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

212th Boulevard

Continue on 212th Boulevard

11.2 mi · 00h 17m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 11m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.5 mi
41.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Marengo
00h 35m from Iowa City
Leave By
4:08 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Iowa City and Rain Showers Likely near Belle Plaine.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Iowa City to Belle Plaine?

The road trip is about 46.3 miles (74.5 km) and usually takes 01h 11m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Marengo is a useful midpoint, sitting about 23.1 miles from Iowa City and 23.2 miles from Belle Plaine.

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

The direct path is about 41.8 miles (67.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.5 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:08 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $6.15 one way or $12.29 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 14.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Iowa City and Rain Showers Likely near Belle Plaine.

Stop Ideas Near Marengo

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

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

RAIL

Ottumwa station

91 mi away
210 West Main Street
RAIL

Mount Pleasant

102 mi away
418 North Adams Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Iowa City and Belle Plaine. Straight-line distance: 41.84 mi (67.34 km).

Iowa City

#1 Iowa City

The most populous city in Johnson County, Iowa.

Population75,130
Coordinates41.6611300, -91.5301700
Altitude204
CountryUnited States
Belle Plaine

#2 Belle Plaine

City in Iowa, United States

Population2,417
Coordinates41.8969400, -92.2782400
Altitude252
CountryUnited States
Start: Iowa City (-91.53017, 41.66113)
End: Belle Plaine (-92.27824, 41.89694)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 75 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 46m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 39m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 34m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.63 gal
6.18 L · about $6.15
Round trip
$12.29
3.26 gal · 12.36 L
Estimated CO2
14.5 kg one way
Round trip: 29 kg / 64 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $6.15 $12.29
Mid-grade $4.25 $6.93 $13.86
Premium $4.65 $7.59 $15.17
Diesel $5.30 $8.65 $17.29

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 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Iowa City and Belle Plaine. The current time is 07:32:37.

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.