Transportation Options in Iowa

Getting Around the Hawkeye State

Airports (Commercial)

• Des Moines International (DSM)
• Eastern Iowa / Cedar Rapids (CID)
• Quad City International / Moline (MLI)
• Sioux Gateway (SUX)
• Waterloo Regional (ALO)

Passenger Rail (Amtrak)

• California Zephyr: Chicago → Omaha (stops: Burlington, Mt. Pleasant, Ottumwa, Osceola, Creston).
• Southwest Chief: Chicago → LA (stops: Fort Madison).

Interstate Highways

• I-80 (E–W across south)
• I-35 (N–S central: Des Moines → MN border)
• I-29 (N–W: Council Bluffs → SD border)
• I-74 (Quad Cities → IL)
• I-380 (Cedar Rapids → Waterloo)

U.S. Highways

• US-20 (E–W north), US-30 (E–W central), US-61 (Dubuque → Keokuk), US-63, US-65, US-69, US-71, US-75.

Intercity Bus

• Burlington Trailways, Greyhound, Jefferson Lines, Megabus (Des Moines ↔ Chicago, KC, Minneapolis).

Waterways

• Mississippi River (navigable Guttenberg → Keokuk; barge traffic).
• Missouri River (Sioux City → St. Louis; commercial barge).

Car remains dominant for rural access; Des Moines has DART transit.