There are 8 ways to get from San Diego to Iowa City by plane, bus, bus (Amtrak, Greyhound), train, car, or shuttle
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly San Diego International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport, bus
best- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)plane SAN - CID
- Take the bus from GTC Bay 9 to Court St Transportation Centerbus
8h 28mFly San Diego International Airport to Quad City International Airport, bus
cheapest- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Quad City International Airport (MLI)plane SAN - MLI
- Take the bus from Moline Center Station to Iowa Citybus
9h 37m$135–541Bus
- Take the bus from San Diego to Santa Anabus
- Take the bus from Santa Ana Bus Stop to Las Vegas Bus Terminalbus
- Take the bus from Las Vegas Bus Terminal to Denver Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Denver Union Station to Iowa Citybus
42h 30m$301–574Train, bus
- Take the train from San Diego to Fullerton Amtrak Stationtrain
- Take the train from Fullerton Amtrak Station to Kansas Citytrain
- Take the bus from Kansas City to Des Moinesbus
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Iowa Citybus
45h 41m$628–1,362Drive 1,854.7 mi
- Drive from San Diego to Iowa Citycar 1,854.7 mi
29h 2m$339–489Fly San Diego International Airport to Omaha, bus
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Omaha (OMA)plane SAN - OMA
- Take the bus from Omaha, NE to Iowa Citybus
10h 13m$173–667Fly San Diego International Airport to Des Moines, shuttle, bus
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Des Moines (DSM)plane SAN - DSM
- Take a shuttle bus from Des Moines International Airport, IA to Ames, IA - Iowa State University
- Take the bus from Ames to Des Moinesbus
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Iowa Citybus
11h 5m$308–1,074Train to Mcclellan–Palomar Airport, fly to The Eastern Iowa Airport, bus
- Take the train from San Diego to Solana Beach Amtrak Stationtrain
- Fly from Mcclellan–Palomar Airport (CLD) to The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)plane CLD - CID
- Take the bus from GTC Bay 9 to Court St Transportation Centerbus
12h 9m
San Diego to Iowa City by bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Diego to Iowa City is to fly and bus which costs $130 - $550 and takes 9h 37m.
The fastest way to get from San Diego to Iowa City is to fly and bus which takes 9h 37m and costs $130 - $550.
No, there is no direct bus from San Diego to Iowa City. However, there are services departing from San Diego and arriving at Iowa City via Santa Ana Bus Stop, Las Vegas Bus Terminal and Denver Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 42h 30m.
The distance between San Diego and Iowa City is 1578 miles. The road distance is 1865.6 miles.
The best way to get from San Diego to Iowa City without a car is to bus which takes 42h 30m and costs $300 - $600.
It takes approximately 8h 28m to get from San Diego to Iowa City, including transfers.
San Diego to Iowa City bus services, operated by Amtrak, depart from San Diego station.
San Diego to Iowa City bus services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Santa Ana station.
Iowa City is 2h ahead of San Diego. It is currently 4:54 AM in San Diego and 6:54 AM in Iowa City.
Yes, the driving distance between San Diego to Iowa City is 1866 miles. It takes approximately 29h 2m to drive from San Diego to Iowa City.
What companies run services between San Diego, CA, USA and Iowa City, IA, USA?
You can take a bus from San Diego to Iowa City via Santa Ana, Santa Ana Bus Stop, Las Vegas Bus Terminal, and Denver Union Station in around 42h 30m.
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from San Diego International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 52m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 24m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Charlotte
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–750
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Des Moines via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Des Moines via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Mcclellan–Palomar Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Omaha
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- When
- Sunday, Saturday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Omaha via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Omaha via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 33m
- When
- Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Des Moines via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Des Moines via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Des Moines via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $190–850
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from San Diego International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Omaha via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Des Moines via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
Flights from Mcclellan–Palomar Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Omaha via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Des Moines via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–950
- Website
- allegiantair.com
Flights from Mcclellan–Palomar Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 13m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from San Diego to Fullerton Amtrak Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 19m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $30–70
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Fullerton Amtrak Station to Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 34h 31m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $550–1,200
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from San Diego to Solana Beach Amtrak Station
- Ave. Duration
- 38 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $8–17
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1-319-362-0375
- Website
- 380express.com
Bus from GTC Bay 9 to Court St Transportation Center
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.380express.com
- Schedules at
- https://www.380express.com/schedule/
Bus from GTC Bay 9 to Court St Transportation Center
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.380express.com
- Schedules at
- https://www.380express.com/schedule/
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Bus from San Diego to Santa Ana
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 5m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $30–45
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Santa Ana Bus Stop to Las Vegas Bus Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $40–80
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Las Vegas Bus Terminal to Denver Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 20m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $110–220
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Denver Union Station to Iowa City
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $120–230
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Kansas City to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- $29–60
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Des Moines to Iowa City
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 5m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $16–35
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Moline Center Station to Iowa City
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $8–17
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Omaha, NE to Iowa City
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $35–75
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Des Moines to Iowa City
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 5m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $16–35
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Kansas City to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $50–75
- Book at
- https://www.jeffersonlines.com
- Adult
- $50–75
Bus from Ames to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $19–27
- Book at
- https://www.jeffersonlines.com
- Adult
- $19–27
- Phone
- +1 320.253.2226
- Website
- executiveexpress.biz
Shuttle from Des Moines International Airport, IA to Ames, IA - Iowa State University
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $80–190
- Website
- https://www.executiveexpress.biz
- Schedules at
- https://www.executiveexpress.biz/coverage-areas/
Want to know more about travelling around United States
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
Travelling to the US: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
Why you should take the train in the US
Read the travel guide
Need to know: Greyhound
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Book your San Diego to Iowa City bus tickets online with Omio.
There are 50+ hotels available in Iowa City.










