Kansas City, MO to Saint John, MO is 237.3 miles and takes about 4h 34m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, and George Brett Super Highway, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This all-Missouri route keeps you within the Midwest region, primarily on surface roads for a more local feel. You'll spend most of your time navigating through communities rather than on high-speed interstates. Plan for a single day to cover this distance, as it's easily achievable within typical driving hours.
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
118.6 miles from Kansas City, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
162.8 mi
3h 8m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
George Brett Super Highway
6.9 mi
9m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
5.6 mi
6m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.9 mi
2m
Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
Brown Road
0.9 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 162.8 mi, about 3h 8m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 34 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 Kansas City, MO and Saint John, MO.
32 mi·34 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
22 mi·24 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
12
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
13
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
14
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.9 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
15
Continue on I 70; US 40
109 mi·2 hr 9 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 237Toward MO 115 East: Natural Bridge RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on MO 115
0.3 mi·35 sec·Natural Bridge Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn right onto Brown Road
0.9 mi·2 min·Brown Road
19
Turn left onto Saint Louis Avenue
0.1 mi·27 sec·Saint Louis Avenue
20
Turn right onto Marshall Road
218 ft·14 sec·Marshall Road
21
Turn left onto Mavis Place
324 ft·14 sec·Mavis Place
22
Arrive at destination
Mavis Place
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 34m duration, starting in the morning allows ample time to reach Saint John, MO before evening. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $42, this trip offers flexibility. You won't need to split the drive, but you can easily pause for an extended break if desired. Pay attention to the transition from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway to surface roads; this is where your average speed will likely decrease the most.
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 118.6 miles from Kansas City, MO, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 162.8 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 52 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 118.6 miles or 2h 10m 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 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint John, 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 237.3 miles and 4h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 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 Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 162.8 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 237.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East 12th Street
Turn right onto East 12th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 East, US 40 East
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 East, US 40 East
5
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|I 70; US 24; US 40 / George Brett Super Highway
Merge onto I 70; US 24; US 40 / George Brett Super Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
235.7 mi into trip|~4h 30m in
Take the exit toward MO 115 East: Natural Bridge Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 237
Toward MO 115 East: Natural Bridge Road
5
237.2 mi into trip|~4h 34m in|Marshall Road
Turn right onto Marshall Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.45 one way
$78.91 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg83 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$42.98
$85.95
premium
$5.18
$48.42
$96.84
diesel
$5.35
$49.98
$99.96
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 83 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71.2
0
$24.92
$11.39
Efficient EV
59.3
0
$20.76
$9.49
EV Truck/SUV
94.9
1
$33.22
$15.19
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (66% 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 May 31, 2026
Origin
Kansas City, MO
Afternoon
in Kansas City on Wednesday
Local time
4:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 7 mph51% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 30 at 8:34PM CDT until June 1 at 5:08PM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 30 at 8:23PM CDT until June 1 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
Saint John, MO
Afternoon
in Saint John on Wednesday
Local time
4:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Cloudy
E 7 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 30 at 8:34PM CDT until June 1 at 5:08PM CDT by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 30 at 8:23PM CDT until June 1 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
69°F
Pierpont, MO
119 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 34m 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...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
$19
near mile 237.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with 0% highway share. You'll encounter your longest stretch of continuous travel at 162.8 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect to transition from highway cruising to navigating through towns and along local routes. The absence of highway driving means you'll experience more frequent intersections and varying speed limits.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 162.8 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 12th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 34m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.6 miles (I 70; US 24; US 40 / George Brett Super Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
924 ft446 ft
Total Climb
613 ft
Total Descent
865 ft
Highest Point
924 ft
~16.9 mi in
Elevation Range
478 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
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
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 162.8 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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: near the start (East 12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.6 miles (I 70; US 24; US 40 / George Brett Super Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway Arch National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Saint John, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
