There are 7 ways to get from Madison to Iowa by bus, plane, bus (Flixbus, Greyhound), car, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Bus, fly to Waterloo Municipal Airport
best- Take the bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to O'Hare International Airport - Terminal 1 Departures
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Waterloo Municipal Airport (ALO)ORD - ALO
5h 21m$77–321Drive 274.5 mi
cheapest- Drive from Madison to Des Moines274.5 mi
5h 2m$51–73Bus via Des Moines
- Take the bus from Madison to Chicago Bus StationFlixBus 2548 / ...
- Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to Des MoinesGreyhound US0123 / ...
11h 48m$82–163Bus, fly to Quad City International Airport
- Take the bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to O'Hare International Airport - Terminal 1 Departures
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Quad City International Airport (MLI)ORD - MLI
6h 32m$57–292Bus, fly to The Eastern Iowa Airport
- Take the bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to O'Hare International Airport - Terminal 1 Departures
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)ORD - CID
6h 44m$76–340Bus
- Take the bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to W Jackson Blvd, after S Clinton StVan Galder
- Take the bus from Chicago to Des MoinesChicago
12h 17m$77–201Bus, train
- Take the bus from Madison, WI-Lake St. to Milwaukee, WI - Amtrak
- Take the train from Milwaukee to Chicago Union Station
- Take the bus from Chicago to Des Moines
12h 23m$84–259
Madison to Iowa by bus and foot
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Madison to Iowa is to drive which costs $50 - $75 and takes 5h 2m.
The fastest way to get from Madison to Iowa is to drive which takes 5h 2m and costs $50 - $75.
No, there is no direct bus from Madison to Iowa. However, there are services departing from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus and arriving at Des Moines via Chicago. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 12h 17m.
The distance between Madison and Iowa is 379 miles. The road distance is 276.1 miles.
The best way to get from Madison to Iowa without a car is to bus via Des Moines which takes 11h 48m and costs $80 - $170.
It takes approximately 5h 21m to get from Madison to Iowa, including transfers.
Madison to Iowa bus services, operated by Vangalder Bus, depart from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus station.
Madison to Iowa bus services, operated by Vangalder Bus, arrive at W Jackson Blvd, after S Clinton St station.
Yes, the driving distance between Madison to Iowa is 276 miles. It takes approximately 5h 2m to drive from Madison to Iowa.
There are 241+ hotels available in Iowa.
What companies run services between Madison, WI, USA and Iowa, USA?
You can take a bus from Madison to Des Moines via Chicago Bus Station and Des Moines in around 11h 48m.
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Waterloo Municipal Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40–260
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Quad City International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–250
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–260
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Quad City International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–250
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–260
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Milwaukee to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 29m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $22–45
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 608-752-5407
- vangalder@coachusa.com
- Website
- coachusa.com
Bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to O'Hare International Airport - Terminal 1 Departures
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $20–40
- Website
- https://www.coachusa.com/van-galder-bus-company
Bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to W Jackson Blvd, after S Clinton St
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $22–45
- Website
- https://www.coachusa.com/van-galder-bus-company
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- flixbus.com
Bus from Madison to Chicago Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $28–55
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
Bus from Madison, WI-Lake St. to Milwaukee, WI - Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $21–40
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Chicago Bus Station to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 34m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $45–100
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 (319) 753-2864
- info@burlingtontrailways.com
- Website
- burlingtontrailways.com
Bus from Chicago to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $55–160
- Website
- https://burlingtontrailways.com
- Saver Fares
- $65–95
- Flexible Fares
- $90–130
- Saver Fare
- $55–110
- Flex Fare
- $75–160
- Phone
- +1 414-266-4409
- ticketinfo@badgerbus.com
- Website
- badgerbus.com
Bus from Madison, WI-Lake St. to Milwaukee, WI - Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $23–30
- Website
- https://badgerbus.com
- Phone
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Madison, WI-Lake St. to Milwaukee, WI - Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $7–55
- Book at
- https://www.jeffersonlines.com
- Phone
- +1 800-236-1240
- Website
- golamers.com
Bus from Madison, WI-Lake St. to Milwaukee, WI - Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $21–50
- Website
- https://www.golamers.com/
- Schedules at
- https://www.golamers.com/
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