Origin
Lake Saint Louis, MO
Late night in Lake Saint Louis on Tuesday
Local time
4:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Saint Louis, MO to Saint Charles, MO
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
18.4 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Saint Louis, MO
Amicia Short
Saint Charles, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 18.4-mile drive from Lake Saint Louis to Saint Charles, Missouri, is easily manageable in about 27 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route is predominantly highway, with 87% of the journey on interstates and parkways. Your fuel cost is estimated at a low $3, reflecting the minimal distance. Given its brevity and focus on major roads, this trip is best suited for a single, straightforward drive rather than an overnight split. You'll spend most of your time on I-70, a familiar Midwest corridor, so expect a practical and efficient transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 13.9 mi | 17m |
| Veterans Memorial Parkway | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| First Capitol Drive | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| I 70 Business | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Savoy Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Second Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| De Loire Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Second Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 13.9 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Saint Louis, MO and Saint Charles, MO.
1
Start on Savoy Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Savoy Drive
2
Turn right onto De Loire Drive
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
De Loire Drive
3
At end of road, turn right onto Veterans Memorial Parkway
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Veterans Memorial Parkway
4
Enter roundabout
265 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 70 East
5
Continue
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Toward I 70 East
6
Merge onto I 70
14 mi
·
17 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 228
Toward I 70 Business, MO 94: First Capitol Drive, Lewis and Clark Trail
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 70 Business, MO 94 East: First Capitol Drive, Lindenwood University, SSM Health Saint Joseph Hospital
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto I 70 Business; MO 94
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
First Capitol Drive
10
Turn slight right onto I 70 Business; MO 94
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 70 Business; MO 94
Toward MO 94
11
Turn left onto South Second Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
South Second Street
12
Arrive at destination
North Second Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 16.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Veterans Memorial Parkway
At end of road, turn right onto Veterans Memorial Parkway
Navigation decision point
6
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Enter roundabout toward I 70 East
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward I 70 East
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 70
Merge onto I 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
16.1 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward I 70 Business, MO 94: First Capitol Drive, Lewis and Clark Trail
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 228
Toward I 70 Business, MO 94: First Capitol Driv...
9
16.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 Business, MO 94 East: First Capitol Drive, Lindenwood University, SSM Health Saint Joseph Hospital
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 70 Business, MO 94 East: First Capitol...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.88 one way
$5.75 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.16 | $6.32 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.54 | $7.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.06 | $8.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.93 | $0.88 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.61 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Saint Charles, MO
Late night in Saint Charles on Tuesday
Local time
4:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
27m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive for this short hop. With 87% of the route on major roads like I-70 and Veterans Memorial Parkway, the pace is generally brisk. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.9 miles on I-70, offering a consistent driving experience. While the profile is highway-centric, the transition to First Capitol Drive as you near Saint Charles will introduce you to a more local road feel. Overall, this is a quick and efficient transit between two points in the Midwest.
87% 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: 13.9 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Veterans Memorial Parkway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Veterans Memorial Parkway.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 18.4 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 0.7 miles (Veterans Memorial Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.1 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lake Saint Louis, MO and Saint Charles, MO, road signs point toward Lindenwood University and Ssm Health Saint Joseph Hospital.
Lindenwood University
16.2 mi in
|
~22m
Ssm Health Saint Joseph Hospital
16.2 mi in
|
~22m
About the Cities
Arriving in Saint Charles, MO
Full guide →St. Charles, Missouri is outside of St. Louis on the bank of the Missouri River. It was Missouri's first state capital and was one of the first stops by Lewis and Clark on their journey to explore Louisiana Territory. The historic Main Street has largely been restored to its 1812-era appearance including gas lights a boardwalk and is lined with shops selling artwork, handicrafts, home decorations, antiques. There are also many restaurants.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 18.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.9 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Saint Charles, MO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (Veterans Memorial Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.1 miles (I 70): 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Charles, MO before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Saint Charles, MO
More from Lake Saint Louis, MO
More trips to Saint Charles, MO
Explore more options from Lake Saint Louis, MO or browse trips ending in Saint Charles, MO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MO road trips.