Jennings, MO to Kansas City, MO is 241.8 miles and takes about 4h 39m via I 70, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Missouri, traversing the Midwest region. It's a straightforward, mostly highway drive that should feel familiar to anyone who's driven in the region. With a recommended one-day itinerary, this route is ideal for getting from point A to point B efficiently, making it a good option when you need to cover ground without too many detours.
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
120.9 miles from Jennings, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 70
225.5 mi
4h 17m
George Brett Super Highway
6.8 mi
9m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
5.6 mi
6m
Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Jennings Station Road
1.1 mi
2m
East 13th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
I 670
0.2 mi
<1m
Oak Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 225.5 mi, about 4h 17m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,943 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~346 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jennings, MO and Kansas City, MO.
Exit 2LToward I 670 West, I 70 Alternate, I 35 South: Topeka, WichitaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 2PToward 13th Street, DowntownUse the slight right lane.
10
Continue on East 13th Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·East 13th Street
11
Turn right onto Oak Street
454 ft·13 sec·Oak Street
12
Arrive at destination
Oak Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 39m estimated drive time, leaving in the morning from Jennings, MO, will easily get you to Kansas City before evening. You'll only need one planned stop for fuel or a break, which you can take at your convenience. The longest stretch without a major exit is over 225 miles on I 70, so ensure you have enough fuel before embarking on that segment. Since this is a one-day trip, you have flexibility; consider a mid-day departure if you prefer to avoid early morning traffic.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 120.9 miles from Jennings, MO, or about 2h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 225.5 miles.
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 53 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 120.9 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 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kansas City, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jennings, 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 Jennings, MO
This is one driving day of about 241.8 miles and 4h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 miles from Jennings, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 70 for about 225.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 241.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 West: Wentzville
Navigation decision point
Toward I 70 West: Wentzville
5
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in|I 70
Merge onto I 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
241.1 mi into trip|~4h 37m in|I 670; I 70 Alt
Keep slight left at fork onto I 670; I 70 Alt toward I 670 West, I 70 Alternate, I 35 South: Topeka, Wichita
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2L
Toward I 670 West, I 70 Alternate, I 35 South:...
9
241.3 mi into trip|~4h 37m in
Take the exit toward 13th Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2P
Toward 13th Street, Downtown
5
241.7 mi into trip|~4h 38m in|Oak Street
Turn right onto Oak Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.71 one way
$71.42 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg85 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$39.42
$78.84
premium
$4.72
$44.89
$89.79
diesel
$4.80
$45.66
$91.31
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 84.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
72.5
0
$25.39
$11.61
Efficient EV
60.5
0
$21.16
$9.67
EV Truck/SUV
96.7
1
$33.85
$15.48
Gas CO2
85 kg
EV CO2
28 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Jennings, MO
Late night
in Jennings on Sunday
Local time
5:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Partly Cloudy
W 2 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Kansas City, MO
Late night
in Kansas City on Sunday
Local time
5:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Patchy Fog
SSW 5 mph7% chanceLive forecast
87°F
Centralia, MO
121 mi in
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
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 39m on the road
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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, a...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is 93% highway, with a significant 225.5-mile stretch on I 70. You'll encounter a dense network of exits for much of the trip, especially as you approach Kansas City. Expect consistent cruising with minimal time on surface roads, as the highway dominates the route from start to finish. This means a steady pace for most of your travel time.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 225.5 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and George Brett Super Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 39m 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 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 241.1 miles (I 670; I 70 Alt): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Kansas City is a major Midwestern metropolitan area that spreads across the border of Missouri and Kansas. It is a city that tends to hide itself from tourists. Reputed to have more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any other city in the world except for Rome, it can be a beautiful city, too. It is unique in that it is split down the middle by the state line of Kansas and Missouri.
=== Welcome World Cup fans ===
Kansas City is one of the 16 North American cities hosting matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Games in the region will be played at Arrowhead Stadium, located in the Truman Sports Complex on the eastern side of the city. Here are a few helpful tips for visiting football fans:
Arrowhead Stadium is about 35–40 km from Kansas City International Airport (MCI), and a taxi or Uber ride usually takes 30–45 minutes, depending on traffic.
Top landmarks
•The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art — art museum in Kansas City, Missouri
•Union Station — main railway station in Kansas City, Missouri, United States
The longest stretch is about 225.5 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 31 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 241.1 miles (I 670; I 70 Alt): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Gateway Arch National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Kansas City, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
