Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 25m
Distance
223.2 mi
359 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$35
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cuba, MO
Eduardo Valdes
East Independence, MO
Momo King
Cuba, MO to East Independence, MO is 223.2 miles and takes about 4h 25m via US 63 and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Midwest region, traversing Missouri entirely. It offers a straightforward drive, mostly on major highways, making it a convenient option for a single-day trip. You can expect a mix of travel conditions, so it's a practical choice if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without extensive planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
111.6 miles from Cuba, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 19m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 63 | 78.3 mi | 1h 35m |
| U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway | 54.4 mi | 58m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 54.3 mi | 58m |
| I 44 | 12.3 mi | 13m |
| North Jefferson Street | 12.2 mi | 18m |
| South Little Blue Parkway | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| US 54 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 22 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,755 veh/hr typical · worst 3,187
Quietest
1 AM
~247 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Cuba, MO and East Independence, MO.
Start on MO 19
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 44
Take the exit
Turn right onto US Historic 66; MO 68
At end of road, turn right onto US 63
Take the exit onto US 63
Merge onto US 54; US 63
Take the exit onto US 63
Take the exit
Continue on US 63 Conn
Take the exit
Merge onto I 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Take the exit
Turn right onto South Little Blue Parkway
Turn left onto East R.D. Mize Road
Turn right onto South Jackson Drive
Turn straight onto Holke Road
Turn left onto East Truman Road
Turn right onto Main Road
Turn right onto East 9th Street South
Arrive at destination
Given this route can be completed in under 4.5 hours, it's best to leave in the morning to maximize daylight and allow for any unforeseen delays. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in how you pace your drive; you could push through or take a longer break. The longest stretch without a major change in road type is 78.3 miles on US 63, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly, perhaps around the halfway point of that segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $35 for the 223.2 miles.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 49 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 111.6 miles or 2h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Independence, MO than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Cuba, MO so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cuba, MO
This is one driving day of about 223.2 miles and 4h 25m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
112 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 111.6 miles from Cuba, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 63 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 78.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 218 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 44 West: Rolla
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward MO 8, MO 68: Saint James
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 70, US 40, MO PP: Kansas City, Saint Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall Entrance
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$34.60 one way
$69.21 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $37.94 | $75.89 |
| premium | $4.93 | $43.30 | $86.61 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $49.20 | $98.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 67 | 0 | $23.44 | $10.71 |
| Efficient EV | 55.8 | 0 | $19.53 | $8.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 89.3 | 1 | $31.25 | $14.28 |
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Cuba on Friday
Local time
10:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in East Independence on Friday
Local time
10:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
About 42% of this 223.2-mile drive is on highways. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of highway at 78.3 miles on US 63. The route is described as a mix of highway and surface roads, meaning you'll transition between faster-paced driving and more local road conditions. Expect to notice more frequent exits and potential for slower speeds as you move between these different road types.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 18 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 223.2 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 13.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 105.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
757 ft
Total Descent
929 ft
Highest Point
1,002 ft
Elevation Range
443 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cuba, MO and East Independence, MO, road signs point toward Columbia, Mo Pp: Kansas City and Saint Louis.
Columbia
Mo Pp: Kansas City
Saint Louis
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 25m. Total distance: 223.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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