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

The driving distance from Knoxville, IA to Iowa City, IA is about 107.3 miles (172.7 km), with a travel time of about 01h 49m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 85.1 miles (136.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 38m 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
107.3 mi
01h 49m
Flight
85.05 mi
136.87 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Knoxville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
85.05 mi
Kilometers
136.87 km
Flight Time
00h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
107.3 mi
Kilometers
172.69 km
Drive Time
01h 49m

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 49m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Iowa City
Sun, Apr 19, 7:20 AM CDT
Return by in Knoxville
Sun, Apr 19, 9:09 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Knoxville
2026-04-19T05:31
Arrive Iowa City
Sun, Apr 19, 7:20 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 49m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:49 AM to 11:49 AM CDT

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

Leave by
2:52 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Knoxville
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
Malcom
IA

City in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States

From Knoxville
53.6 mi
00h 54m
To Iowa City
53.7 mi
00h 54m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph WNW
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 Knoxville and Iowa City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on North Lincoln Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · North Lincoln Street

  2. 2

    Continue on State Highway 14

    12.5 mi · 19 min · State Highway 14

  3. 3

    Continue on South Monroe Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · South Monroe Street

  4. 4

    Continue on State Highway 14

    10.8 mi · 16 min · State Highway 14

  5. 5

    Take the ramp right

    1686 ft · 41 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    79.3 mi · 1 hr 25 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown

    2061 ft · 53 sec

  8. 8

    Turn right onto North Dubuque Street

    1.5 km · 3 min · North Dubuque Street

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Kimball Road

    145 m · 21 sec · Kimball Road

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on North Gilbert Street

    1.3 km · 3 min · North Gilbert Street

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Gilbert Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Knoxville 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
11 steps
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Highway 14
103 mi · 96%
North Lincoln Street
1.1 mi · 1%
South Monroe Street
1 mi · 1%
North Dubuque Street
0.95 mi · 1%
North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi · 1%
Downtown
0.39 mi
Longest Stretch

State Highway 14

Merge slight left

79.3 mi · 01h 25m

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 49m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+22.2 mi
85.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Malcom
00h 54m from Knoxville
Leave By
2:52 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Knoxville 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 Knoxville to Iowa City?

The road trip is about 107.3 miles (172.7 km) and usually takes 01h 49m 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?

Malcom is a useful midpoint, sitting about 53.6 miles from Knoxville and 53.7 miles from Iowa City.

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

The direct path is about 85.1 miles (136.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 22.2 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 2:52 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $14.29 one way or $28.58 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 33.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Malcom

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

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

RAIL

Ottumwa station

78 mi away
210 West Main Street
RAIL

Mount Pleasant

117 mi away
418 North Adams Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Knoxville and Iowa City. Straight-line distance: 85.05 mi (136.87 km).

Knoxville

#1 Knoxville

City in and seat of Marion County, Iowa, United States

Population7,082
Coordinates41.3208300, -93.1093700
Altitude277
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: North Lincoln Street (-93.109482, 41.32083)
End: South Gilbert Street (-91.530165, 41.661126)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 173 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 34m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 40m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 08m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 47m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 31m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.79 gal
14.33 L · about $14.29
Round trip
$28.58
7.58 gal · 28.66 L
Estimated CO2
33.7 kg one way
Round trip: 67.4 kg / 149 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $14.29 $28.58
Mid-grade $4.25 $16.12 $32.24
Premium $4.65 $17.64 $35.28
Diesel $5.30 $20.10 $40.20

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 Knoxville and Iowa City. The current time is 05:31:41.

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.