There are 9 ways to get from Merced to Des Moines by bus, plane, bus (Flixbus, Greyhound), train, 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.
Bus to Fresno Yosemite International Airport, fly
best- Take the bus from Merced to Fresnobus
- Fly from Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) to Des Moines (DSM)plane FAT - DSM
8h 40m$121–493Bus
- Take the bus from Merced to Sacramento Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Sacramento Bus Station to Sparks Transit Centerbus
- Take the bus from Sparks Transit Center to Denver Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Denver Union Station to Des Moinesbus
42h 10m$353–538Bus, train via Los Angeles
- Take the bus from Merced to Los Angeles Union Stationbus
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Kansas Citytrain
- Take the bus from Kansas City to Des Moinesbus
47h 58m$1,046–1,742Drive 1,738.1 mi
- Drive from Merced to Des Moinescar 1,738.1 mi
28h 48m$287–415Bus to Stockton Metropolitan Airport, fly
- Take the bus from Merced to Stocktonbus
- Fly from Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) to Des Moines (DSM)plane SCK - DSM
10h 53m$183–483Bus, bus to Oakland International Airport, fly
- Take the bus from Merced Bus Stop to Modesto Bus Stopbus
- Take the bus from Bay C - Modesto Transit Center - 2nd exi to BART Dublin Stationbus
- Fly from Oakland International Airport (OAK) to Des Moines (DSM)plane OAK - DSM
10h 44m$133–514Fly from Merced Municipal Airport
- Fly from Merced Municipal Airport (MCE) to Des Moines (DSM)plane MCE - DSM
6h 49m$140–576Bus, train to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, fly
- Take the bus from Merced Bus Stop to Modesto Bus Stopbus
- Take the train from Lathrop/Manteca Station to Santa Clara Stationtrain
- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Des Moines (DSM)plane SJC - DSM
11h 57m$152–604Bus, train
- Take the bus from Merced to Sacramento Bus Stationbus
- Take the train from Sacramento to Galesburg Amtrak Stationtrain
- Take the bus from Galesburg to Des Moinesbus
2d 9h$1,160–1,989
Merced to Des Moines by bus
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Merced to Des Moines is to bus and fly which costs $120 - $500 and takes 8h 40m.
The fastest way to get from Merced to Des Moines is to fly which takes 6h 49m and costs $140 - $600.
No, there is no direct bus from Merced to Des Moines. However, there are services departing from Merced and arriving at Des Moines via Sacramento Bus Station, Sparks Transit Center and Denver Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 42h 10m.
The distance between Merced and Des Moines is 1509 miles. The road distance is 1748.3 miles.
The best way to get from Merced to Des Moines without a car is to bus which takes 42h 10m and costs $350 - $550.
It takes approximately 8h 40m to get from Merced to Des Moines, including transfers.
Merced to Des Moines bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, depart from Merced station.
The best way to get from Merced to Des Moines is to bus which takes 42h 10m and costs $350 - $550. Alternatively, you can fly, which costs $140 - $600 and takes 6h 49m.
Merced to Des Moines bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, arrive at Sacramento Bus Station.
Des Moines is 2h ahead of Merced. It is currently 2:30 PM in Merced and 4:30 PM in Des Moines.
What companies run services between Merced, CA, USA and Des Moines, IA, USA?
You can take a bus from Merced to Des Moines via Sacramento Bus Station, Sparks Transit Center, and Denver Union Station in around 42h 10m. Alternatively, Corporate Flight Management Inc, Allegiant Air, and three other airlines fly from Merced Municipal Airport (MCE) to Des Moines (DSM) twice daily.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Des Moines via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $95–450
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Des Moines via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $95–450
Flights from Stockton Metropolitan Airport to Des Moines via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 10m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Des Moines via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Saturday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $100–470
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Des Moines via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $100–480
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Des Moines via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $110–550
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Des Moines via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 27m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Merced Municipal Airport to Des Moines via Los Angeles, Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 55m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Des Moines via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 12m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $110–550
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Des Moines via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–600
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Des Moines via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 32m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Des Moines via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–550
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Des Moines via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–480
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Des Moines via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Merced Municipal Airport to Des Moines via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Des Moines via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Des Moines via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 54m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Des Moines via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 27m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–600
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Des Moines via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95–450
Flights from Merced Municipal Airport to Des Moines via Los Angeles, Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 51m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Des Moines via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–550
- Website
- allegiantair.com
Flights from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Des Moines via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 30m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- $95–450
Flights from Stockton Metropolitan Airport to Des Moines via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 24m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Merced Municipal Airport to Des Moines via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 20m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $120–550
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Des Moines via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 34m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–600
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from Stockton Metropolitan Airport to Des Moines via Las Vegas, Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 55m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $140–420
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 35h 7m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $950–1,600
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Sacramento to Galesburg Amtrak Station
- Ave. Duration
- 47h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $1,100–1,900
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +1 800-411-7245
- Website
- Ace
Train from Lathrop/Manteca Station to Santa Clara Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 41m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $12–16
- Website
- Ace
- Phone
- +52 644 410 2444
- atencionaclientes@tufesa.com.mx
- Website
- tufesa.com.mx
Bus from Merced to Fresno
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $6–20
- Schedules at
- tufesa.com.mx
- Book at
- tufesa.com.mx
- Plus
- $6–20
- Titanium
- $7–19
Bus from Merced to Stockton
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 40m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $7–21
- Schedules at
- tufesa.com.mx
- Book at
- tufesa.com.mx
- Plus
- $7–21
- Titanium
- $8–20
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Merced to Sacramento Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $19–28
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Merced to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $45–70
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Merced to Sacramento Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $19–28
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Sacramento Bus Station to Sparks Transit Center
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $24–40
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Sparks Transit Center to Denver Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $190–280
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Denver Union Station to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 13h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $120–190
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Merced Bus Stop to Modesto Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $6–11
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Merced Bus Stop to Modesto Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $6–11
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Galesburg to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $35–55
- Website
- Greyhound
- Phone
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Kansas City to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $50–75
- Book at
- Jefferson Lines
- Adult
- $50–75
- Phone
- +1 833 766 3553
- Website
- Tufesa
Bus from Merced to Stockton
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 23m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $30–55
- Schedules at
- Tufesa
- Adult One way
- $30–55
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Booking & Getting There
Yes, the driving distance between Merced to Des Moines is 1748 miles. It takes approximately 28h 48m to drive from Merced to Des Moines.
Book your Merced to Des Moines bus tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
There are 242+ hotels available in Des Moines.

























