How far is Moville, IA from West Des Moines, IA?

The driving distance from Moville, IA to West Des Moines, IA is about 178.9 miles (287.9 km), with a travel time of about 03h 00m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 136.6 miles (219.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 01m 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
178.91 mi
03h 00m
Flight
136.56 mi
219.78 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Moville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
136.56 mi
Kilometers
219.78 km
Flight Time
00h 16m

Driving Distance

Road route
178.91 mi
Kilometers
287.92 km
Drive Time
03h 00m

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 00m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in West Des Moines
Sun, Apr 19, 4:06 AM CDT
Return by in Moville
Sun, Apr 19, 7:07 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Moville
2026-04-19T01:06
Arrive West Des Moines
Sun, Apr 19, 4:06 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 00m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:01 AM to 11:01 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
10:58 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Moville
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Moorland
IA

Human settlement in Webster County, Iowa, United States of America

From Moville
89.4 mi
01h 30m
To West Des Moines
89.5 mi
01h 30m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
60°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph WNW
Destination
58°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
7 to 10 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Moville and West Des Moines.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Moville and West Des Moines.

  1. 1

    Start on North 2nd Street

    128 m · 18 sec · North 2nd Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Jones Street

    720 ft · 32 sec · Jones Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto South 1st Street

    2133 ft · 1 min · South 1st Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Highway 20

    27.1 mi · 32 min · Highway 20

  5. 5

    Continue on United States Highway 20

    8.3 mi · 10 min · United States Highway 20

  6. 6

    Continue on 220th Street

    61.9 mi · 1 hr 11 min · 220th Street

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 169

    1966 ft · 57 sec

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Lainson Avenue

    12.2 mi · 17 min · Lainson Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn left onto 360th Street

    3.9 mi · 5 min · 360th Street

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right

    16.2 mi · 23 min

  11. 11

    Turn left onto 220th Street

    3.7 mi · 5 min · 220th Street

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right

    2251 ft · 1 min

  13. 13

    Turn right onto H Avenue

    11.4 mi · 16 min · H Avenue

  14. 14

    Continue on N Avenue

    1.9 mi · 3 min · N Avenue

  15. 15

    Take the exit left toward IA 141 east: Urbandale

    1677 ft · 46 sec

  16. 16

    Continue on Northwest Granger Drive

    15.6 mi · 19 min · Northwest Granger Drive

  17. 17

    Continue on Northwest 114th Street

    2.6 mi · 3 min · Northwest 114th Street

  18. 18

    Continue on Northeast Grimes Boulevard

    1.6 km · 1 min · Northeast Grimes Boulevard

  19. 19

    Continue on Grimes Boulevard

    3087 ft · 50 sec · Grimes Boulevard

  20. 20

    Continue on Southeast Grimes Boulevard

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Southeast Grimes Boulevard

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward I-35 south, I-80 west: Kansas City, Council Bluffs

    1.1 km · 1 min

  22. 22

    Merge slight left

    3.3 mi · 4 min

  23. 23

    Keep slight left

    2012 ft · 26 sec

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines

    2327 ft · 57 sec · Ramp 72 I

  25. 25

    Merge slight left onto John MacVicar Freeway

    2.8 mi · 4 min · John MacVicar Freeway

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight right toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines

    2657 ft · 1 min

  27. 27

    Turn right onto 8th Street

    1 mi · 2 min · 8th Street

  28. 28

    Turn left onto Vine Street

    143 m · 13 sec · Vine Street

  29. 29

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Vine Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Moville and West Des Moines.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
29 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
2 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
16.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
220th Street
66 mi · 37%
Highway 20
27.1 mi · 15%
360th Street
20.1 mi · 11%
Northwest Granger Drive
15.6 mi · 9%
Lainson Avenue
12.2 mi · 7%
H Avenue
11.4 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

220th Street

Continue on 220th Street

61.9 mi · 01h 11m

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 00m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+42.3 mi
136.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Moorland
01h 30m from Moville
Leave By
10:58 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Moville and Sunny near West Des Moines.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Moville to West Des Moines?

The road trip is about 178.9 miles (287.9 km) and usually takes 03h 00m 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?

Moorland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 89.4 miles from Moville and 89.5 miles from West Des Moines.

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

The direct path is about 136.6 miles (219.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 42.3 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 10:58 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.80 one way or $47.59 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 56.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Moville and Sunny near West Des Moines.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Moville and West Des Moines. Straight-line distance: 136.56 mi (219.78 km).

Moville

#1 Moville

City in Woodbury County, Iowa, United States of America

Population1,651
Coordinates42.4888800, -96.0725200
Altitude359
CountryUnited States
West Des Moines

#2 West Des Moines

The most populous city in Dallas County, Iowa.

Population69,057
Coordinates41.5772100, -93.7113300
Altitude252
CountryUnited States
Start: North 2nd Street (-96.072419, 42.48888)
End: Vine Street (-93.71133, 41.577301)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 288 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 57m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 28m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 34m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 58m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 33m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.31 gal
23.9 L · about $23.80
Round trip
$47.59
12.62 gal · 47.8 L
Estimated CO2
56.1 kg one way
Round trip: 112.2 kg / 247 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $23.80 $47.59
Mid-grade $4.25 $26.84 $53.67
Premium $4.65 $29.37 $58.73
Diesel $5.30 $33.47 $66.94

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 Moville and West Des Moines. The current time is 01:06:18.

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.