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

The driving distance from Waukon, IA to Iowa City, IA is about 130.7 miles (210.3 km), with a travel time of about 02h 35m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 111.2 miles (178.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 11m 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
130.67 mi
02h 35m
Flight
111.16 mi
178.89 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Waukon.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
111.16 mi
Kilometers
178.89 km
Flight Time
00h 13m

Driving Distance

Road route
130.67 mi
Kilometers
210.29 km
Drive Time
02h 35m

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 35m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Iowa City
Fri, May 15, 6:57 PM CDT
Return by in Waukon
Fri, May 15, 9:33 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Waukon
2026-05-15T16:21
Arrive Iowa City
Fri, May 15, 6:57 PM CDT
Route Timing
02h 35m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:36 AM to 12:36 PM CDT

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

Leave by
1:18 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Waukon
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
Manchester
IA

City in Delaware County, Iowa, United States

From Waukon
66.3 mi
01h 17m
To Iowa City
64.4 mi
01h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
54°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Fri, May 15 2:00 AM CDT
Wind
13 mph S
Destination
84°F
Friday

Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Allamakee Street Northwest

    15 m · 3 sec · Allamakee Street Northwest

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West Main Street

    17 m · 6 sec · West Main Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Spring Avenue

    101 m · 6 sec · Spring Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on Rossville Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Rossville Road

  5. 5

    Turn left onto State Highway 76

    6.4 mi · 10 min · State Highway 76

  6. 6

    Turn slight right onto Volney Road

    8.3 mi · 15 min · Volney Road

  7. 7

    Continue on Falcon Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Falcon Avenue

  8. 8

    Continue on North Main Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · North Main Street

  9. 9

    Turn left

    5 mi · 7 min

  10. 10

    Turn right

    1.5 km · 1 min

  11. 11

    Turn right onto State Highway 13

    20.9 mi · 29 min · State Highway 13

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Crystal Road

    8.3 mi · 11 min · Crystal Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto 398th Street

    1683 ft · 1 min · 398th Street

  14. 14

    Turn sharp right onto State Highway 3

    2924 ft · 52 sec · State Highway 3

  15. 15

    Turn left onto State Highway 13

    9.8 mi · 13 min · State Highway 13

  16. 16

    Continue on North Franklin Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · North Franklin Street

  17. 17

    Turn right onto West Main Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · West Main Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto State Highway 13

    14.8 mi · 20 min · State Highway 13

  19. 19

    Continue on Marion Road

    25.8 mi · 32 min · Marion Road

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on US 30 East: Mount Vernon

    1.3 km · 2 min

  21. 21

    Merge slight left onto Lincoln Freeway

    2.8 mi · 3 min · Lincoln Freeway

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Cedar River Road

    2.8 mi · 7 min · Cedar River Road

  23. 23

    Turn right onto State Highway 1

    2.3 mi · 3 min · State Highway 1

  24. 24

    Continue on Highway 1 Northeast

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Highway 1 Northeast

  25. 25

    Continue on North Market Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · North Market Street

  26. 26

    Continue on Highway 1 Northeast

    7.5 mi · 10 min · Highway 1 Northeast

  27. 27

    Continue on North Dodge Street

    2.6 mi · 5 min · North Dodge Street

  28. 28

    Turn right onto Church Street

    1200 ft · 38 sec · Church Street

  29. 29

    Turn left onto North Gilbert Street

    2492 ft · 2 min · North Gilbert Street

  30. 30

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Gilbert Street

Car Route Details

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

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
30 steps
17 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
1 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
23 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Highway 13
45.6 mi · 35%
Marion Road
25.8 mi · 20%
Highway 1 Northeast
10.7 mi · 8%
Volney Road
8.26 mi · 6%
Crystal Road
8.25 mi · 6%
State Highway 76
6.4 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Marion Road

Continue on Marion Road

25.8 mi · 00h 32m

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 35m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+19.5 mi
111.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Manchester
01h 17m from Waukon
Leave By
1:18 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Waukon 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 Waukon to Iowa City?

The road trip is about 130.7 miles (210.3 km) and usually takes 02h 35m 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?

Manchester is a useful midpoint, sitting about 66.3 miles from Waukon and 64.4 miles from Iowa City.

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

The direct path is about 111.2 miles (178.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 19.5 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 1:18 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $17.38 one way or $34.77 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 41 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Waukon and Iowa City. Straight-line distance: 111.16 mi (178.89 km).

Waukon

#1 Waukon

City in Iowa

Population3,600
Coordinates43.2694200, -91.4757000
Altitude377
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: Allamakee Street Northwest (-91.475541, 43.269419)
End: South Gilbert Street (-91.530165, 41.661126)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 210 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 21m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 10m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 52m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.61 gal
17.45 L · about $17.38
Round trip
$34.77
9.22 gal · 34.9 L
Estimated CO2
41 kg one way
Round trip: 81.9 kg / 181 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $17.38 $34.77
Mid-grade $4.25 $19.61 $39.21
Premium $4.65 $21.45 $42.91
Diesel $5.30 $24.45 $48.90

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 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Waukon and Iowa City. The current time is 16:21:49.

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.