Kansas City, MO to Waynesville, MO is 197.6 miles and takes about 4h 13m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Missouri, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a relatively straightforward drive that primarily uses the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway before transitioning to MO 17 and East Broadway Boulevard. With a recommended one-day trip, you'll find the route offers a mix of highway speeds and more local road driving as you approach your destination. Consider this a practical route for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
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
98.8 miles from Kansas City, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
52.5 mi
56m
MO 17
36.3 mi
52m
East Broadway Boulevard
24.3 mi
32m
US 65
15.9 mi
18m
MO 52
15 mi
19m
MO 5
14.5 mi
18m
US 54 Bus
12 mi
17m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
8.5 mi
9m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 52.5 mi, about 56m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 13 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,251 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~346 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.3×
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 Waynesville, MO.
8.5 mi·9 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·46 sec
Exit 78AToward US 65 South: Sedalia
12
Merge onto US 65
16 mi·18 min·US 65
13
Turn slight left onto MO 765
0.1 mi·14 sec·MO 765
Toward MO 765: Sedalia
14
Continue on MO 765
0.2 mi·16 sec·MO 765
15
Turn straight onto North Ohio Avenue
0.9 mi·2 min·North Ohio Avenue
16
Turn left onto East Pettis Street
0.4 mi·1 min·East Pettis Street
17
Continue on West Saline Street
0.3 mi·50 sec·West Saline Street
18
Turn right onto North Engineer Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·North Engineer Avenue
19
Turn left onto US 50
24 mi·32 min·East Broadway Boulevard
20
Turn right onto MO 5
14 mi·18 min·MO 5
Use the right lane.
21
At end of road, turn left onto MO 52
15 mi·19 min·MO 52
22
Turn right onto South Grand Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·South Grand Avenue
23
Turn slight left onto West 17th Street
0.1 mi·18 sec·West 17th Street
24
Turn right onto US 54 Bus; MO 52
12 mi·17 min·US 54 Bus; MO 52
25
Turn right onto MO 17; MO 52
24 mi·33 min·MO 17; MO 52
26
Continue on MO 17; MO 133
12 mi·19 min·MO 17; MO 133
27
At end of road, turn right onto I 44 Business; US Historic 66; MO 17
304 ft·10 sec·I 44 Business; US Historic 66; MO 17
28
Arrive at destination
I 44 Business; US Historic 66; MO 17
Trip Plan
Leaving Kansas City in the morning should give you ample time to reach Waynesville within a single day. Since the total drive is just over 4 hours, you can easily complete it without needing an overnight stay. The route has one recommended stop, but with this manageable distance, you can be flexible. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $31 for the 197.6 miles. Pay attention as you transition from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway onto MO 17 and East Broadway Boulevard, as the driving pace will likely change.
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 98.8 miles from Kansas City, MO, or about 1h 55m 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 43 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.8 miles or 1h 55m 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 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waynesville, 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 197.6 miles and 4h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 119 — 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.
5
75.9 mi into trip|~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward US 65 South: Sedalia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 78A
Toward US 65 South: Sedalia
5
119 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|MO 5
Turn right onto MO 5
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.85 one way
$65.71 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg69 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$35.79
$71.57
premium
$5.18
$40.32
$80.64
diesel
$5.35
$41.62
$83.24
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: 69.1 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
59.3
0
$20.75
$9.48
Efficient EV
49.4
0
$17.29
$7.90
EV Truck/SUV
79
0
$27.66
$12.65
Gas CO2
69 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 May 27, 2026
Origin
Kansas City, MO
Evening
in Kansas City on Wednesday
Local time
5:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
ENE 8 mph5% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Waynesville, MO
Evening
in Waynesville on Wednesday
Local time
5:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 5 mph17% chanceLive forecast
68°F
Tipton, 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
3 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 13m 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?
About 48% of this drive is on highways, meaning you'll experience some open-road cruising. The longest continuous stretch on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway is 52.5 miles. After this, the route shifts to MO 17 and East Broadway Boulevard, which will feel more like surface street driving with potentially more varied speeds and exits. Expect a mix of environments, from faster highway travel to more developed local road sections.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 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?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 13m drive. You will face about 15 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.
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
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 13 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.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Waynesville, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
