Rome2Rio

How to get fromIowa to Thunder Bayby plane, car, or bus

Find Transport to Thunder Bay

See all options

There are 5 ways to get from Iowa to Thunder Bay by plane, car, or bus

Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.

  1. Fly from Des Moines, drive

    best
    1. Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX)plane plane DSM - CMX
    2. Drive from Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX) to Thunder Baycar car
    13h 18m
    $252–782

  2. Drive  938.3 km

    cheapest
    1. Drive from Des Moines to Thunder Baycar car 938.3 km
    10h 35m
    $187–271

  3. Bus, drive via Ironwood

    1. Take the bus from Des Moines to St. Paulbus bus
    2. Take the bus from St. Paul to Duluthbus bus
    3. Take the bus from Duluth to Ironwoodbus bus
    4. Take the bus from Ironwood to Escanababus bus
    5. Take the bus from Escanaba to St. Ignacebus bus
    6. Drive from St. Ignace to Sault Ste Mariecar car
    7. Take the bus from Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Baybus bus
    33h 2m
    $331–601

  4. Fly from Quad City International Airport, drive

    1. Fly from Quad City International Airport (MLI) to Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX)plane plane MLI - CMX
    2. Drive from Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX) to Thunder Baycar car
    15h 24m
    $218–703

  5. Bus, drive

    1. Take the bus from Des Moines to Minneapolisbus bus
    2. Take the bus from Minneapolis Bus Station to Green Bay Transit Centerbus bus
    3. Take the bus from Green Bay to Escanababus bus
    4. Take the bus from Escanaba to St. Ignacebus bus
    5. Drive from St. Ignace to Sault Ste Mariecar car
    6. Take the bus from Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Baybus bus
    33h 32m
    $303–547

Des Moines (DSM) to Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX) flights

Calendar28Weekly Planes
Duration5h 53mAverage Duration
Ticket$99Cheapest Price
See schedules

Comparing Your Travel Options

Map of how to get from Iowa to Thunder Bay.ExpandLaunch map view
  • Distance: 1,421.9 km
  • Duration: 13h 18m

What companies run services between Iowa, USA and Thunder Bay, ON, Canada?

There is no direct connection from Iowa to Thunder Bay. However, you can take the taxi to Des-Moines-Airport-DSM airport, fly to Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX), then drive to Thunder Bay. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Des Moines to Thunder Bay via St. Paul, Duluth, Ironwood, Escanaba, St. Ignace, and Sault Ste Marie in around 33h 2m.

Airlines
Bus operators

Want to know more about travelling around Canada

Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.

Related travel guides

Need to know: Greyhound

Read the travel guideNeed to know: Greyhound