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

The driving distance from Iowa City, IA to Orange City, IA is about 309 miles (497.3 km), with a travel time of about 06h 11m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 249.2 miles (401.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 22m 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
309 mi
06h 11m
Flight
249.24 mi
401.11 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Iowa City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
249.24 mi
Kilometers
401.11 km
Flight Time
00h 30m

Driving Distance

Road route
309 mi
Kilometers
497.28 km
Drive Time
06h 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 06h 11m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Orange City
Mon, May 25, 3:10 PM CDT
Return by in Iowa City
Mon, May 25, 9:22 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Iowa City
2026-05-25T08:59
Arrive Orange City
Mon, May 25, 3:10 PM CDT
Route Timing
06h 11m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:11 PM to 1:41 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
11:38 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Iowa City
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
Webster City
IA

City in Iowa

From Iowa City
154.2 mi
03h 05m
To Orange City
154.8 mi
03h 05m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
86°F
Memorial Day

Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph S
Destination
87°F
Memorial Day

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on South Gilbert Street

    1.3 km · 3 min · South Gilbert Street

  2. 2

    Turn slight left onto Kimball Road

    145 m · 22 sec · Kimball Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North Dubuque Street

    1.2 mi · 3 min · North Dubuque Street

  4. 4

    Turn left

    2315 ft · 59 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    4.1 mi · 5 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 380, US 218, IA 27

    1850 ft · 45 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo

    3219 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints

    70.8 mi · 1 hr 19 min · Avenue of the Saints

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Avenue of the Saints

    160.2 mi · 3 hr 5 min · Avenue of the Saints

  10. 10

    Continue on 160th Street

    6.4 mi · 7 min · 160th Street

  11. 11

    Continue on United States Highway 20

    1.9 mi · 3 min · United States Highway 20

  12. 12

    Continue on Highway 20

    19 mi · 23 min · Highway 20

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Lee Avenue

    5.4 mi · 7 min · Lee Avenue

  14. 14

    Continue on Shamrock Avenue

    2 mi · 3 min · Shamrock Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn left onto 320th Street

    2 mi · 3 min · 320th Street

  16. 16

    Turn right onto State Highway 140

    15.1 mi · 21 min · State Highway 140

  17. 17

    Continue on County Road L14

    7 mi · 10 min · County Road L14

  18. 18

    Continue on Kiwi Avenue

    5 mi · 7 min · Kiwi Avenue

  19. 19

    At the end of the road, turn left onto 460th Street

    1.8 mi · 2 min · 460th Street

  20. 20

    Continue on State Highway 10

    1587 ft · 25 sec · State Highway 10

  21. 21

    Continue on Kennedy Avenue

    1.4 km · 1 min · Kennedy Avenue

  22. 22

    Turn left onto 450th Street

    2 mi · 3 min · 450th Street

  23. 23

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward 450th Street

    25 m · 5 sec · 450th Street

  24. 24

    Exit the roundabout onto 450th Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · 450th Street

  25. 25

    Continue on 8th Street Southeast

    1307 ft · 38 sec · 8th Street Southeast

  26. 26

    Turn right onto Albany Avenue Southeast

    1.1 km · 2 min · Albany Avenue Southeast

  27. 27

    Turn left onto 2nd Street Northeast

    131 m · 21 sec · 2nd Street Northeast

  28. 28

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 2nd Street Northwest

Car Route Details

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

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
28 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Avenue of the Saints
231 mi · 75%
Highway 20
19 mi · 6%
State Highway 140
15.1 mi · 5%
County Road L14
7.02 mi · 2%
160th Street
6.44 mi · 2%
Lee Avenue
5.4 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Avenue of the Saints

Keep slight left to continue on Avenue of the Saints

160 mi · 03h 05m

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 11m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+59.8 mi
249.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Webster City
03h 05m from Iowa City
Leave By
11:38 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Iowa City and Mostly Sunny near Orange City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 309 miles (497.3 km) and usually takes 06h 11m 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?

Webster City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 154.2 miles from Iowa City and 154.8 miles from Orange City.

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

The direct path is about 249.2 miles (401.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 59.8 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 $41.10 one way or $82.21 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 96.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Iowa City and Orange City. Straight-line distance: 249.24 mi (401.11 km).

Iowa City

#1 Iowa City

The most populous city in Johnson County, Iowa.

Population75,130
Coordinates41.6611300, -91.5301700
Altitude204
CountryUnited States
Orange City

#2 Orange City

City in Western Iowa

Population6,182
Coordinates43.0072100, -96.0583500
Altitude440
CountryUnited States
Start: Iowa City (-91.53017, 41.66113)
End: Orange City (-96.05835, 43.00721)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 497 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 17m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 43m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 10m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 08m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 24m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 51m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.9 gal
41.27 L · about $41.10
Round trip
$82.21
21.8 gal · 82.54 L
Estimated CO2
96.9 kg one way
Round trip: 193.7 kg / 427 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $41.10 $82.21
Mid-grade $4.25 $46.36 $92.72
Premium $4.65 $50.73 $101.46
Diesel $5.30 $57.81 $115.63

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 · May 25, 2026

There is no time difference between Iowa City and Orange City. The current time is 08:59:36.

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.