How far is Story City, IA from Dubuque, IA?

The driving distance from Story City, IA to Dubuque, IA is about 173.4 miles (279.1 km), with a travel time of about 02h 48m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 151.2 miles (243.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 36m 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
173.43 mi
02h 48m
Flight
151.24 mi
243.4 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Story City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
151.24 mi
Kilometers
243.4 km
Flight Time
00h 18m

Driving Distance

Road route
173.43 mi
Kilometers
279.11 km
Drive Time
02h 48m

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 02h 48m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Dubuque
Sun, Apr 19, 8:46 AM CDT
Return by in Story City
Sun, Apr 19, 11:35 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Story City
2026-04-19T05:58
Arrive Dubuque
Sun, Apr 19, 8:46 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 48m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:48 AM to 12:48 PM CDT

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

Leave by
12:54 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Story 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
Evansdale
IA

City in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States of America

From Story City
86.6 mi
01h 24m
To Dubuque
86.8 mi
01h 24m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
57°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
9 to 13 mph WNW
Destination
53°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Story City and Dubuque.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Story City and Dubuque.

  1. 1

    Start on Pennsylvania Avenue

    16 m · 8 sec · Pennsylvania Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Broad Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Broad Street

  3. 3

    Continue on 115th Street

    130 m · 15 sec · 115th Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp left toward I-35 north: Minneapolis

    2155 ft · 53 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    17.3 mi · 19 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward US 20 East: Waterloo

    2998 ft · 1 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    71.7 mi · 1 hr 23 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    81.4 mi · 1 hr 37 min

  9. 9

    Turn left onto South Locust Street

    553 ft · 18 sec · South Locust Street

  10. 10

    Turn straight onto IA 946

    708 ft · 21 sec

  11. 11

    At the end of the road, turn left

    128 m · 13 sec

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward White Street, Port of Dubuque

    1432 ft · 32 sec

  13. 13

    Continue on White Street

    638 ft · 27 sec · White Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto East 7th Street

    87 m · 20 sec · East 7th Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    10 m · 1 sec · Central Avenue

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Central Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Story City and Dubuque.

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
16 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 20 East
154 mi · 89%
I-35 north
17.7 mi · 10%
Broad Street
1.32 mi · 1%
White Street
0.39 mi
IA 946
0.13 mi
South Locust Street
0.11 mi
Longest Stretch

US 20 East

Keep slight left

81.4 mi · 01h 37m

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
02h 48m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 36m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+22.2 mi
151.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Evansdale
01h 24m from Story City
Leave By
12:54 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Story City and Sunny near Dubuque.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Story City to Dubuque?

The road trip is about 173.4 miles (279.1 km) and usually takes 02h 48m 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?

Evansdale is a useful midpoint, sitting about 86.6 miles from Story City and 86.8 miles from Dubuque.

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

The direct path is about 151.2 miles (243.4 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 12:54 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.08 one way or $46.16 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 54.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Story City and Sunny near Dubuque.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Story City and Dubuque. Straight-line distance: 151.24 mi (243.4 km).

Story City

#1 Story City

City in Iowa

Population3,320
Coordinates42.1872100, -93.5957700
Altitude306
CountryUnited States
Dubuque

#2 Dubuque

The most populous city in Dubuque County, Iowa.

Population57,781
Coordinates42.5005600, -90.6645700
Altitude189
CountryUnited States
Start: Pennsylvania Avenue (-93.59593, 42.18721)
End: Central Avenue (-90.664595, 42.500561)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 279 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 46m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 53m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 28m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.12 gal
23.17 L · about $23.08
Round trip
$46.16
12.24 gal · 46.34 L
Estimated CO2
54.4 kg one way
Round trip: 108.8 kg / 240 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $23.08 $46.16
Mid-grade $4.25 $26.03 $52.06
Premium $4.65 $28.48 $56.96
Diesel $5.30 $32.46 $64.92

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 Story City and Dubuque. The current time is 05:58:41.

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.