Kansas City, MO to Saint Martins, MO is 142.9 miles and takes about 2h 52m via East 12th Street, Charlotte Street, and I 70 East, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, beginning in Missouri's largest city and ending in a smaller community. Given the relatively short duration and surface road profile, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll spend most of your time on local roads, offering a more grounded travel experience compared to highway-heavy trips. Plan for a straightforward drive that doesn't require overnight stays.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
71.5 miles from Kansas City, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 20m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
52.5 mi
56m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
36.8 mi
39m
MO 87
18.2 mi
25m
MO 179
15.3 mi
21m
George Brett Super Highway
6.9 mi
9m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
5.6 mi
6m
MO T
4.4 mi
7m
Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 52.5 mi, about 56m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 26 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,287 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~346 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 102 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 Martins, MO.
32 mi·34 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
4.7 mi·5 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 106Toward MO 87: Boonville, Prairie Home
13
Turn right onto MO 87
18 mi·25 min·MO 87
14
Keep slight left at fork onto MO 179
12 mi·17 min·MO 179
15
Turn straight onto MO 179
3.0 mi·4 min·MO 179
16
Turn right onto MO T
3.7 mi·6 min·MO T
17
Continue on MO T
513 ft·10 sec·MO T
18
Continue on MO T
0.6 mi·1 min·MO T
19
Turn right onto Business 50 West
0.7 mi·1 min·Business 50 West
Use the right lane.
20
Arrive at destination
Business 50 West
Trip Plan
With a drive time of under 3 hours, this is a perfect same-day trip, offering flexibility in your departure time. Leaving Kansas City in the morning or early afternoon will allow you to reach Saint Martins with ample daylight. You'll encounter one noted stop along the way, so plan to utilize it for a brief stretch or refreshment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $23, and gas stations may be more spaced out on the latter half of the surface road sections. Given the 142.9-mile distance, consider a mid-morning departure to avoid peak rush hour in Kansas City.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71.5 miles from Kansas City, MO, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 52.5 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 31 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 71.5 miles or 1h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Martins, 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 142.9 miles and 2h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 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 52.5 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 142.2 — 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.
6
104.2 mi into trip|~1h 55m in
Take the exit toward MO 87: Boonville, Prairie Home
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 106
Toward MO 87: Boonville, Prairie Home
6
142.2 mi into trip|~2h 50m in|Business 50 West
Turn right onto Business 50 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.84 one way
$47.67 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg50 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$25.91
$51.82
premium
$5.26
$29.59
$59.17
diesel
$6.18
$34.76
$69.53
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
42.9
0
$15.00
$6.86
Efficient EV
35.7
0
$12.50
$5.72
EV Truck/SUV
57.2
0
$20.01
$9.15
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Kansas City, MO
Morning
in Kansas City on Monday
Local time
9:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Sunny
S 3 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Saint Martins, MO
Morning
in Saint Martins on Monday
Local time
9:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Sunny
S 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
3 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
2h 52m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 drive primarily consists of surface roads, with 0% of the route being highway. You'll transition from urban streets in Kansas City onto local thoroughfares like East 12th Street and Charlotte Street. Expect consistent city and suburban traffic flow, with frequent intersections as you navigate out of the metropolitan area. The longest stretch without a significant break is undefined in the data, but the overall duration suggests a continuous drive with multiple opportunities to encounter local traffic patterns.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 52.5 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 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 142.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.3 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
964 ft602 ft
Total Climb
443 ft
Total Descent
558 ft
Highest Point
964 ft
~10.2 mi in
Elevation Range
362 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Kansas City, MO to Saint Martins, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Prairie Home along the way.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 52m. Total distance: 142.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (23%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 52.5 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 15 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. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Martins, MO before heading back.
