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

The driving distance from Iowa City, IA to Pella, IA is about 96.6 miles (155.5 km), with a travel time of about 01h 57m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 73.8 miles (118.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 54m 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
96.65 mi
01h 57m
Flight
73.79 mi
118.76 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
73.79 mi
Kilometers
118.76 km
Flight Time
00h 08m

Driving Distance

Road route
96.65 mi
Kilometers
155.55 km
Drive Time
01h 57m

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 57m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Pella
Tue, Apr 28, 2:50 PM CDT
Return by in Iowa City
Tue, Apr 28, 4:48 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Iowa City
2026-04-28T12:53
Arrive Pella
Tue, Apr 28, 2:50 PM CDT
Route Timing
01h 57m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:57 AM to 11:57 AM CDT

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

Leave by
2:36 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
Brooklyn
IA

City in Iowa, United States

From Iowa City
48.2 mi
00h 58m
To Pella
48.4 mi
00h 58m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
65°F
Tuesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, Apr 28 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph NW
Destination
62°F
Tuesday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Tue, Apr 28 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
8 to 13 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    70.1 mi · 1 hr 16 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward IA 224: Kellogg, Sully

    1694 ft · 50 sec

  7. 7

    Turn left onto County Highway T22

    786 ft · 12 sec · County Highway T22

  8. 8

    Continue on Highway T22 South

    5.1 mi · 8 min · Highway T22 South

  9. 9

    Continue on Highway T22 South

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Highway T22 South

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Highway F62 East

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Highway F62 East

  11. 11

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Highway T14 South

    11.5 mi · 16 min · Highway T14 South

  12. 12

    Continue on Main Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Main Street

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Washington Street

    12 m · 1 sec · Washington Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Washington Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
14 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
14.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Dubuque Street
71.3 mi · 74%
Highway T14 South
11.5 mi · 12%
Highway T22 South
7.2 mi · 7%
Highway F62 East
3.2 mi · 3%
Main Street
1.65 mi · 2%
South Gilbert Street
0.8 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

North Dubuque Street

Merge slight left

70.1 mi · 01h 16m

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 57m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+22.8 mi
73.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Brooklyn
00h 58m from Iowa City
Leave By
2:36 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Iowa City and Partly Sunny near Pella.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 96.6 miles (155.5 km) and usually takes 01h 57m 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?

Brooklyn is a useful midpoint, sitting about 48.2 miles from Iowa City and 48.4 miles from Pella.

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

The direct path is about 73.8 miles (118.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 22.8 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 2:36 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $12.86 one way or $25.72 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 30.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Brooklyn

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

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

RAIL

Ottumwa station

79 mi away
210 West Main Street
RAIL

Mount Pleasant

113 mi away
418 North Adams Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Iowa City and Pella. Straight-line distance: 73.79 mi (118.76 km).

Iowa City

#1 Iowa City

The most populous city in Johnson County, Iowa.

Population75,130
Coordinates41.6611300, -91.5301700
Altitude204
CountryUnited States
Pella

#2 Pella

City in Marion County, Iowa, United States

Population10,266
Coordinates41.4080500, -92.9163100
Altitude270
CountryUnited States
Start: Iowa City (-91.53017, 41.66113)
End: Pella (-92.91631, 41.40805)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 156 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 13m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 36m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 22m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.41 gal
12.91 L · about $12.86
Round trip
$25.72
6.82 gal · 25.82 L
Estimated CO2
30.3 kg one way
Round trip: 60.6 kg / 134 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $12.86 $25.72
Mid-grade $4.25 $14.50 $29.01
Premium $4.65 $15.87 $31.74
Diesel $5.30 $18.09 $36.17

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 28, 2026

There is no time difference between Iowa City and Pella. The current time is 12:53:32.

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.