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Trip from Ashland, MO to Columbia, MO

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

20m

Distance

15.5 mi

25 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 19m ★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Ashland, MO, MO

Ashland, MO

Valeria Boltneva

Trip Overview

This short, 15.5-mile drive from Ashland to Columbia, Missouri, can be completed in about 20 minutes, making it a perfect, easy day trip. You'll primarily be on US 63, with some time on East Stadium Boulevard and South Providence Road. With a fuel cost estimated at just $2, this is an economical journey. The route stays within the Midwest region, offering a straightforward connection between these two Missouri towns. Given its brevity and lack of recommended stops, you won't need an overnight stay, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 63 11.4 mi 12m
East Stadium Boulevard 2.3 mi 3m
South Providence Road 1 mi 2m
East Broadway 0.3 mi <1m
North Providence Road

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: US 63 — 11.4 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ashland, MO and Columbia, MO.

1

Start on MO Y

0.2 mi · 29 sec · East Broadway
2

Enter roundabout onto MO M; MO Y

173 ft · 3 sec · East Broadway
3

Continue on MO M; MO Y

484 ft · 10 sec · East Broadway
4

Enter roundabout

283 ft · 5 sec
5

Continue

0.2 mi · 27 sec
6

Merge onto US 63

11 mi · 12 min · US 63
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 33 sec
Toward MO 740
8

Turn left onto MO 740

2.3 mi · 3 min · East Stadium Boulevard
9

Turn right onto MO 163

1.0 mi · 2 min · South Providence Road
10

Arrive at destination

MO 163

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 11.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | MO M; MO Y / East Broadway

Enter roundabout onto MO M; MO Y / East Broadway

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

3
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | MO M; MO Y / East Broadway

Right onto MO M; MO Y / East Broadway

Navigation decision point

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in

Enter roundabout

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

3
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 63

Merge onto US 63

Merge point - match speed before joining

4
11.9 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward MO 740

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward MO 740

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.42 one way

$4.85 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $2.66 $5.32
premium $4.89 $2.98 $5.97
diesel $5.61 $3.42 $6.84

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.6 0 $1.63 $0.74
Efficient EV 3.9 0 $1.36 $0.62
EV Truck/SUV 6.2 0 $2.17 $0.99

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Ashland, MO

Late night in Ashland on Sunday

Local time

5:10 AM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Columbia, MO

Late night in Columbia on Sunday

Local time

5:10 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

1 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

20m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highway-focused drive for this trip, with 73% of the journey taking place on main roads like US 63. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.4 miles on US 63, offering a consistent pace. This route is designed for efficiency, moving you quickly from point A to point B. While not explicitly scenic, the highway nature ensures a predictable and generally smooth driving experience. The transition between the main roads should be seamless, keeping your focus on reaching your destination.

73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.4 mi on US 63.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 63 and East Stadium Boulevard. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near MO M; MO Y / East Broadway.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 20m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (MO M; MO Y / East Broadway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.2 miles (MO M; MO Y / East Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

About the Cities

Arriving in Columbia, MO

Full guide →

Columbia is a bustling college town in Missouri, halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City. It is home of the University of Missouri (also known as 'Mizzou') as well as two other post-secondary institutions Stephens College and Columbia College.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 15.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (73%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 11.4 miles on US 63. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (MO M; MO Y / East Broadway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.2 miles (MO M; MO Y / East Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Columbia, MO before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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