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Trip from Linn, MO to Columbia, MO

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 12m

Distance

53.2 mi

86 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 7m ★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Linn, MO, MO

Linn, MO

Valeria Boltneva

Trip Overview

Linn, MO to Columbia, MO is 53.2 miles and takes about 1h 12m via US 63, US 50, and East Stadium Boulevard, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily through the Midwest region of Missouri. With nearly all of the drive on highways, expect a consistent pace as you travel between these two points. It's a short enough distance that you can easily fit it into a morning or afternoon, making it a convenient option for a quick connection between towns.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 63 26.4 mi 29m
US 50 17.7 mi 21m
East Stadium Boulevard 2.3 mi 3m
County Route 605 1.5 mi 5m
US 54 1.4 mi 1m
Loose Creek Highway 1 mi 2m
South Providence Road 1 mi 2m
County Route 604 0.6 mi 2m
Longest stretch: US 63 — 26.4 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Linn, MO and Columbia, MO.

1

Start on East Benton Street

44 ft · 3 sec · East Benton Street
2

Turn right onto North 4th Street

262 ft · 13 sec · North 4th Street
3

Turn right onto US 50

0.3 mi · 20 sec · East Main Street
4

Continue on MO U

0.3 mi · 38 sec · MO U
5

Turn right onto County Route 605

1.5 mi · 5 min · County Route 605
6

Turn right onto County Route 604

0.6 mi · 2 min · County Route 604
7

Continue on Loose Creek Highway

1.0 mi · 2 min · Loose Creek Highway
8

Turn left onto Wolf Ridge Trail

0.4 mi · 1 min · Wolf Ridge Trail
9

Turn right onto US 50

18 mi · 21 min · US 50
10

Take the exit onto US 63

0.3 mi · 40 sec · US 63
Toward US 54 East, US 63 North: Fulton, Columbia
11

Merge onto US 54; US 63

1.4 mi · 1 min · US 54; US 63
12

Take the exit onto US 63

26 mi · 28 min · US 63
Toward US 63 North: Columbia
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 33 sec
Toward MO 740
14

Turn left onto MO 740

2.3 mi · 3 min · East Stadium Boulevard
15

Turn right onto MO 163

1.0 mi · 2 min · South Providence Road
16

Arrive at destination

MO 163

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

capital city of Missouri, United States and county seat of Cole County

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Jefferson City, MO

27 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Taos, MO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Jefferson City, MO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.6 miles from Linn, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.6 — 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 | North 4th Street

Turn right onto North 4th Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 50 / East Main Street

Turn right onto US 50 / East Main Street

Navigation decision point

4
3.8 mi into trip | ~12m in | Wolf Ridge Trail

Turn left onto Wolf Ridge Trail

Navigation decision point

5
21.9 mi into trip | ~35m in | US 63

Take the exit onto US 63 toward US 54 East, US 63 North: Fulton, Columbia

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 54 East, US 63 North: Fulton, Columbi...
4
23.6 mi into trip | ~37m in | US 63

Take the exit onto US 63 toward US 63 North: Columbia

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward US 63 North: Columbia

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.32 one way

$16.63 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.13 $18.26
premium $4.89 $10.24 $20.48
diesel $5.61 $11.75 $23.49

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16 0 $5.59 $2.55
Efficient EV 13.3 0 $4.66 $2.13
EV Truck/SUV 21.3 0 $7.45 $3.40

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Linn, MO

Late night in Linn on Sunday

Local time

12:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Rain Showers

NW 14 mph 84% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 2:07AM CDT until April 19 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Springfield MO

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 2:03AM CDT until April 18 at 10:45AM CDT by NWS Springfield MO

Destination

Columbia, MO

Late night in Columbia on Sunday

Local time

12:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°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

31 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

1h 12m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is heavily highway-focused, with 89% of the drive utilizing major roadways. You'll encounter a 26.4-mile stretch on US 63, which forms the longest uninterrupted segment of your journey. Expect a consistent driving experience, largely on well-maintained highways that allow for steady progress. The profile suggests a straightforward drive without significant changes in road type or complexity, making it an efficient way to get from Linn to Columbia.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.4 mi on US 63.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 63 and US 50. 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 North 4th Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 53.2 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 (North 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 50 / East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (Wolf Ridge Trail): Navigation decision point.

About the Cities

Arriving in Columbia, MO

Full guide →

Columbia is a bustling college town in Missouri, halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City. It is home of the University of Missouri (also known as 'Mizzou') as well as two other post-secondary institutions Stephens College and Columbia College.

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 1h 12m. Total distance: 53.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 26.4 miles on US 63. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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: near the start (North 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 50 / East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (Wolf Ridge Trail): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Columbia, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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