Kansas City, MO to Memphis, MO is 198.9 miles and takes about 4h 21m via Chicago-Kansas City Expressway and US 136, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, beginning in Missouri's largest city and ending in its northeastern corner. It's a straightforward, mostly highway drive that should feel familiar if you've traveled through the region before. Given the relatively short duration, it's an easy one-day commitment, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times.
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
99.5 miles from Kansas City, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
72.6 mi
1h 17m
US 136
57.3 mi
1h 25m
East 310th Street
27.5 mi
40m
I 35
11.2 mi
12m
East Prime Street
11.1 mi
16m
Washington Street
10.8 mi
16m
US 71
4.6 mi
6m
US 63
2.1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
— 72.6 mi, about 1h 17m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,631 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,996
Quietest
2 AM
~144 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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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 Kansas City, MO and Memphis, MO.
1
Start on Oak Street
20 ft·4 sec·Oak Street
2
Turn right onto East 12th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·East 12th Street
3
Turn left onto Harrison Street
438 ft·16 sec·Harrison Street
4
Turn left onto East 11th Street
209 ft·5 sec·East 11th Street
5
Take the ramp
455 ft·11 sec
Toward I 70 West, US 24 West, US 40 West, I 29 North, I 35 North, US 71 North
6
Merge onto I 70; US 24; US 40; US 71
0.2 mi·21 sec·George Brett Super Highway
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 71
4.6 mi·6 min·US 71
Exit 2GToward I 29 North, I 35 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph, Des MoinesUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
11 mi·12 min·I 35
Toward I 35 North: Des MoinesUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; MO 110
73 mi·1 hr 17 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
11
Turn right onto US 136
0.2 mi·18 sec·Miller Street
12
Continue on US 136
27 mi·40 min·East 310th Street
13
Turn left onto US 136
57 mi·1 hr 25 min·US 136
14
At end of road, turn left onto US 63; US 136
2.1 mi·2 min·US 63; US 136
15
Turn right onto US 136
11 mi·16 min·Washington Street
16
Continue on US 136
11 mi·16 min·East Prime Street
17
Turn slight left onto US 136 Business; MO 15
0.4 mi·35 sec·South Clay Street
18
Turn right onto US 136 Business
270 ft·5 sec·West Monroe Street
19
Arrive at destination
US 136 Business
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour drive, leaving Kansas City in the morning is ideal, allowing you to reach Memphis with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop and a manageable distance, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move off the main expressway onto US 136 and subsequent surface roads, as services might be more spaced out. The estimated fuel cost is around $35, so plan accordingly before you depart.
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 99.5 miles from Kansas City, MO, or about 1h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.6 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 44 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 99.5 miles or 1h 54m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Memphis, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kansas City, 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 Kansas City, MO
This is one driving day of about 198.9 miles and 4h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Kansas City, 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 Chicago-Kansas City Expressway for about 72.6 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 5.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East 12th Street
Turn right onto East 12th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|Harrison Street
Turn left onto Harrison Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 West, US 24 West, US 40 West, I 29 North, I 35 North, US 71 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 West, US 24 West, US 40 West, I 29...
9
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in|US 71
Keep slight right at fork onto US 71 toward I 29 North, I 35 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph, Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 2G
Toward I 29 North, I 35 North, US 71 North: Sai...
7
5.5 mi into trip|~8m in|I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 North: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North: Des Moines
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.07 one way
$66.14 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$36.02
$72.04
premium
$5.18
$40.59
$81.17
diesel
$5.35
$41.89
$83.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.7
0
$20.88
$9.55
Efficient EV
49.7
0
$17.40
$7.96
EV Truck/SUV
79.6
0
$27.85
$12.73
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (67% 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 Jun 3, 2026
Origin
Kansas City, MO
Afternoon
in Kansas City on Wednesday
Local time
4:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Partly Cloudy
ESE 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 2 at 8:19PM CDT until June 3 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 2 at 8:19PM CDT until June 4 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Destination
Memphis, MO
Afternoon
in Memphis on Wednesday
Local time
4:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
E 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 2 at 8:19PM CDT until June 3 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 2 at 8:19PM CDT until June 4 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO
86°F
Princeton, MO
99 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
8 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 21m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is 74% highway, meaning you'll spend the majority of your time on well-maintained, divided roadways. The longest continuous stretch on the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway is 72.6 miles. You'll transition to US 136 and then East 310th Street, which will likely feel more like rural cruising with fewer exits. Expect a generally open road feel for most of the drive.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.6 mi on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway and US 136. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 12th Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 198.9 miles you will encounter 14 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: near the start (East 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: 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.
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
Memphis is the second largest city in the state of Tennessee, after Nashville. The state rests in the southeastern portion of the United States. Memphis, with a population of more than 651,000 (2019), is also the county seat for Shelby County. The city's claims to fame include Graceland, the mansion Elvis Presley lived in during his later years. Perhaps more importantly, Memphis is considered by many to be the home of blues music.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 21m. Total distance: 198.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 72.6 miles on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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: near the start (East 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Memphis, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
