There are 8 ways to get from Iowa to Ottawa by plane, bus, train, bus (Greyhound, Flixbus), or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly from Des Moines
best- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW)plane DSM - YOW
5h 47m$178–832Fly from Quad City International Airport
cheapest- Fly from Quad City International Airport (MLI) to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW)plane MLI - YOW
8h 20m$107–557Bus, train
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Chicago Bus Stationbus
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Syracuse Regional Transportation Centertrain
- Take the bus from Syracuse Bus Station to Ottawabus
26h 22m$352–774Bus
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Chicago Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to Detroit Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Detroit Bus Station to Ottawabus
28h 20m$217–444Drive 1,714.1 km
- Drive from Des Moines to Ottawacar 1,714.1 km
18h 50m$333–480Fly from Waterloo Municipal Airport
- Fly from Waterloo Municipal Airport (ALO) to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW)plane ALO - YOW
6h 58m$140–634Bus via Indianapolis
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Indianapolis Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Indianapolis, IN to Detroit, MIbus
- Take the bus from Detroit Bus Station to Ottawabus
29h 55m$232–459Bus, train via Toronto
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Bloomington-Normalbus
- Take the train from Bloomington-Normal to Chicago Union Stationtrain
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Buffalo Depew Stationtrain
- Take the train from Buffalo to Toronto Union Stationtrain
- Take the train from Toronto Union Station to Ottawatrain
32h 5m$392–934
Des Moines (DSM) to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Iowa to Ottawa is to bus which costs $210 - $450 and takes 28h 20m.
The fastest way to get from Iowa to Ottawa is to fly which takes 5h 47m and costs $170 - $850.
The distance between Iowa and Ottawa is 1532 km. The road distance is 1714.1 km.
The best way to get from Iowa to Ottawa without a car is to bus and train which takes 26h 22m and costs $350 - $800.
It takes approximately 5h 47m to get from Iowa to Ottawa, including transfers.
The best way to get from Iowa to Ottawa is to fly which takes 5h 47m and costs $170 - $850. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $210 - $450 and takes 28h 20m.
Ottawa is 1h ahead of Iowa. It is currently 1:28 PM in Iowa and 2:28 PM in Ottawa.
Yes, the driving distance between Iowa to Ottawa is 1714 km. It takes approximately 18h 50m to drive from Iowa to Ottawa.
There are 340+ hotels available in Ottawa.
What companies run services between Iowa, USA and Ottawa, ON, Canada?
United Airlines, American Airlines, and two other airlines fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) every 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from Des Moines to Ottawa via Des Moines, Chicago Bus Station, and Detroit Bus Station in around 28h 20m.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Des Moines to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–800
Flights from Waterloo Municipal Airport to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–600
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–550
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare, Toronto
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–550
- Website
- aircanada.com
Flights from Des Moines to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–800
Flights from Waterloo Municipal Airport to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–600
Flights from Waterloo Municipal Airport to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare, Montreal
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 16m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–650
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Waterloo Municipal Airport to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare, Toronto
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 15m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $110–600
Flights from Quad City International Airport to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare, Toronto
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $100–550
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Des Moines to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Minneapolis, Toronto
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 16m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–850
- Website
- westjet.com
Flights from Des Moines to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Minneapolis, Toronto
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 16m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–850
- Website
- flyporter.com
Flights from Waterloo Municipal Airport to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport via Chicago O'Hare, Toronto
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 14m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $220–1,000
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Chicago Union Station to Syracuse Regional Transportation Center
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 58m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $240–550
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Bloomington-Normal to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 19m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $45–100
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Chicago Union Station to Buffalo Depew Station
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 23m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $190–430
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 888 842-7245
- Website
- viarail.ca
Train from Buffalo to Toronto Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 14m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $30–120
- Website
- https://www.viarail.ca/en
- Economy Adult - same day booking
- $35–120
- Economy Adult - Advanced Booking
- $35–95
- Economy Escape Advanced Booking - Adult
- $30–50
Train from Toronto Union Station to Ottawa
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 49m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $55–140
- Website
- https://www.viarail.ca/en
- Economy Adult - same day booking
- $70–140
- Economy Adult - Advanced Booking
- $70–120
- Economy Escape Advanced Booking - Adult
- $55–80
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Des Moines to Chicago Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $70–150
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Chicago Bus Station to Detroit Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $60–130
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Des Moines to Indianapolis Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $100–200
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Des Moines to Bloomington-Normal
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $60–130
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- flixbus.com
Bus from Syracuse Bus Station to Ottawa
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- $30–60
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
Bus from Chicago Bus Station to Detroit Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 55m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $50–85
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
Bus from Detroit Bus Station to Ottawa
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 5m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $85–150
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
- Phone
- +1 888-378-3823
- info@baronsbus.com
- Website
- baronsbus.com
Bus from Indianapolis, IN to Detroit, MI
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 5m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $35–95
- Website
- https://baronsbus.com
Want to know more about travelling around Canada
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