There are 7 ways to get from Madison to Iowa by bus, plane, car, bus (Greyhound), or bus (Flixbus, Greyhound)
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 Des Moines
best- Take the bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to O'Hare International Airport - Terminal 1 Departuresbus
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Des Moines (DSM)plane ORD - DSM
5h 35m$117–611Drive 274.5 mi
cheapest- Drive from Madison to Des Moinescar 274.5 mi
5h 3m$51–73Bus via Bloomington
- Take the bus from Madison, WI-Lake St. to Mall of America - IKEA - Bloomingtonbus Madison
- Take the bus from Burnsville to Des Moinesbus Jefferson 801 / ...
11h 8m$91–191Bus, fly to Quad City International Airport
- Take the bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to O'Hare International Airport - Terminal 1 Departuresbus
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Quad City International Airport (MLI)plane ORD - MLI
6h 38m$52–292Bus, fly to The Eastern Iowa Airport
- Take the bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to O'Hare International Airport - Terminal 1 Departuresbus
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)plane ORD - CID
- Take the bus from GTC Bay 9 to Court St Transportation Centerbus
8h 11mBus
- Take the bus from 250 N. Lake St - Madison UW Campus to W Jackson Blvd, after S Clinton Stbus Van Galder
- Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to Des Moinesbus Greyhound US0123 / ...
11h 46m$70–162Bus #2
- Take the bus from Madison to Chicago Bus Stationbus FlixBus 2548 / ...
- Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to Des Moinesbus Greyhound US0123 / ...
11h 49m$76–169
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Des Moines (DSM) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Madison to Iowa is to drive which costs $50 - $75 and takes 5h 3m.
The fastest way to get from Madison to Iowa is to drive which takes 5h 3m and costs $50 - $75.
The distance between Madison and Iowa is 445 miles. The road distance is 276.1 miles.
The best way to get from Madison to Iowa without a car is to bus via Bloomington which takes 11h 8m and costs $90 - $200.
It takes approximately 5h 35m to get from Madison to Iowa, including transfers.
Yes, the driving distance between Madison to Iowa is 276 miles. It takes approximately 5h 3m to drive from Madison to Iowa.
There are 200+ hotels available in Iowa.
What companies run services between Madison, WI, USA and Iowa, USA?
You can take a bus from Madison, WI-Lake St. to Des Moines via Mall of America - IKEA - Bloomington, American & Thunderbird Station, MOA Transit Station Gate A, Mall of America Transit Station Gate F, Burnsville, and Des Moines in around 11h 8m.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–550
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Quad City International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30–250
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–260
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–550
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Quad City International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30–250
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–260
- 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
- +1 414-266-4409
- ticketinfo@badgerbus.com
- Website
- badgerbus.com
Bus from Madison, WI-Lake St. to Mall of America - IKEA - Bloomington
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 35m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $55–75
- Website
- https://badgerbus.com
- Phone
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Burnsville to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 40m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $21–100
- Book at
- https://www.jeffersonlines.com
- Phone
- +1-319-362-0375
- Website
- 380express.com
Bus from GTC Bay 9 to Court St Transportation Center
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.380express.com
- Schedules at
- https://www.380express.com/schedule/
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
- $40–110
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- 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
- $27–50
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
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