What is the distance between Des Moines and Chicago?

Des Moines and Chicago are 496 km (308 miles) apart.

What are the departure and arrival locations for buses traveling from Des Moines to Chicago?

Buses departing from Jefferson/Trailways Depot in Des Moines will take you to Downtown Greyhound Station in Chicago.

Bus Des Moines to Chicago from $54 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for Des Moines to Chicago on November 21
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
	Bus	11:45pm	Des Moines	6h	5:45am	Chicago (Bus Station)	CheapestFastest

Next departures for Des Moines to Chicago on November 22
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	9:30am	Des Moines	10h 10m	7:40pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	Cheapest
	Bus	11:45pm	Des Moines	6h	5:45am	Chicago (Bus Station)	Fastest
	Bus	5:30am	Des Moines	8h 5m	1:35pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	5:30am	Des Moines	11h 35m	5:05pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags
	Bus	9:20am	Des Moines	7h 55m	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags

Next departures for Des Moines to Chicago on November 23
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	Bus	9:30am	Des Moines	8h 45m	6:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	Cheapest
	Bus	11:45pm	Des Moines	6h	5:45am	Chicago (Bus Station)	Fastest
	Bus	5:30am	Des Moines	8h 5m	1:35pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	5:30am	Des Moines	11h 35m	5:05pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags
	Bus	9:20am	Des Moines	7h 55m	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags

Next departures for Des Moines to Chicago on November 26
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	Bus	11:45pm	Des Moines	6h	5:45am	Chicago (Bus Station)	CheapestFastest
	Bus	5:30am	Des Moines	8h 5m	1:35pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	5:30am	Des Moines	11h 35m	5:05pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags
	Bus	9:20am	Des Moines	7h 55m	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	9:20am	Des Moines	9h 15m	6:35pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags

Next departures for Des Moines to Chicago on November 27
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	Bus	9:20am	Des Moines	7h 55m	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	Bus	5:30am	Des Moines	8h 5m	1:35pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	5:30am	Des Moines	11h 35m	5:05pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags
	Bus	9:30am	Des Moines	8h 45m	6:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	9:20am	Des Moines	9h 15m	6:35pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Last Wednesday at 6:10 PM CST.

Get from Des Moines to Chicago

This route is served by bus only

The journey takes about 8 hours 45 minutes, and with fares starting at just $64, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

6bus per day

8h 45mAverage Duration

496 kmDistance

12kgCO₂ emissions

Where are the popular stops in Des Moines and Chicago?

Stops in Des Moines

A
Jefferson/Trailways Depot
1501 2nd Ave North, Des Moines, IA 50314
B
1514 East Grand Ave
1514 East Grand Avenue,, Des Moins, IA, 50316

Stops in Chicago

A
Downtown Greyhound Station
630 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
Visit page
B
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Visit page
C
Polk St & Canal St
500-536 W Polk St, Chicago IL 60607, USA
D
Tornado Bus S Kedzie Ave
2807 S Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60623, USA
E
Cumberland CTA
5800 N Cumberland Ave, Chicago, IL 60631, USA
F
Turimex California Ave
2139 S California Ave, Chicago, IL 60608, USA

Compare bus companies

Greyhound

3.5/587,387 reviews

Staff3.6

Timeliness2.9

Cleanliness3.3

Wifi2.4

Based on 87387 reviews, the company was rated 3.5 stars on Busbud. Travellers were especially satisfied with the ticket access and the temperature but often complained with the WiFi. Greyhound ticket prices on this trip start at $64

Greyhound Lines, Inc. Des Moines Chicago recent customer reviews

I was unaware the ticket process was through a 3rd party. Not recomended.

Daniel F.

August 14, 2024

Jefferson Lines

4/5759 reviews

Staff4

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4

Wifi3.2

Burlington Trailways

4/520 reviews

Staff5

Timeliness5

Cleanliness5

Wifi5

US Bus Companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Trenitalia, Sindbad

Frequently asked questions about travelling from Des Moines to Chicago by bus

What is the distance between Des Moines and Chicago?
Des Moines and Chicago are 496 km (308 miles) apart.
What are the departure and arrival locations for buses traveling from Des Moines to Chicago?
Buses departing from Jefferson/Trailways Depot in Des Moines will take you to Downtown Greyhound Station in Chicago.

Find cheapest prices for buses

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

11-19

$73

11-20

$226

Today

$174

11-22

$132

11-23

$111

11-24

$92

11-25

$121

11-26

$116

The cheapest trip from Des Moines to Chicago was searched and found on Nov 19, 2025 with a price of $73

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your bus tickets from Des Moines to Chicago, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $73 to $226 for a bus ticket from Des Moines to Chicago based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $92 which is on 2025-11-24.

Usually Jefferson Lines will charge you higher prices for tickets closer to the departure date. To find the best prices, you should be flexible on your date of travel.