Ludlow, MO to Chula, MO is 29.4 miles and takes about 52 minutes via South Washington Street and Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and the state of Missouri, offering a straightforward journey. It's a practical option for a quick transit between two points, with a manageable driving time and minimal cost. Consider this route if you're looking for efficiency and simplicity for a short hop.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
South Washington Street
10.4 mi
18m
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
9.4 mi
10m
MO K
3.5 mi
8m
MO D
3 mi
7m
North Main Street
2.9 mi
7m
4th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Mansur Street
—
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
South Washington Street
— 10.4 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ludlow, MO and Chula, MO.
1
Start on 4th Street
30 ft·3 sec·4th Street
2
Turn right onto MO D; MO DD
2.9 mi·7 min·North Main Street
3
Turn straight onto MO D
3.0 mi·7 min·MO D
4
Turn right onto US 36; MO 110
9.4 mi·10 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward US 36 Business, US 65: Chillicothe, Carrollton
6
Turn left onto US 65; US 36 Business
10 mi·18 min·South Washington Street
Toward US 65 North, US 36 Business: ChillicotheUse the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn right onto MO K
3.5 mi·8 min·MO K
8
Arrive at destination
MO K
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 25.9 — 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|MO D; MO DD / North Main Street
Turn right onto MO D; MO DD / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
3
5.9 mi into trip|~14m in|US 36; MO 110 / Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
Turn right onto US 36; MO 110 / Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
Navigation decision point
5
15.3 mi into trip|~25m in
Take the exit toward US 36 Business, US 65: Chillicothe, Carrollton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 36 Business, US 65: Chillicothe, Carr...
8
15.5 mi into trip|~25m in|US 65; US 36 Business / South Washington Street
Turn left onto US 65; US 36 Business / South Washington Street toward US 65 North, US 36 Business: Chillicothe
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 65 North, US 36 Business: Chillicothe
3
25.9 mi into trip|~44m in|MO K
Turn right onto MO K
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.36 one way
$8.73 round trip
$3.77/gal25.4 MPG avg10 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.25
$4.92
$9.85
premium
$4.65
$5.39
$10.77
diesel
$5.30
$6.14
$12.28
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 70% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
8.8
0
$3.09
$1.41
Efficient EV
7.4
0
$2.57
$1.18
EV Truck/SUV
11.8
0
$4.12
$1.88
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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 Jul 4, 2026
Origin
Ludlow, MO
Evening
in Ludlow on Monday
Local time
7:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 3 mph55% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 3 at 9:34PM CDT until July 3 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 3 at 9:20PM CDT until July 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
Destination
Chula, MO
Evening
in Chula on Monday
Local time
7:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Partly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 6 mph54% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 3 at 9:34PM CDT until July 3 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 3 at 9:20PM CDT until July 4 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN
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
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 features a mixed profile, with 32% of the journey on highway. You'll begin on South Washington Street for the longest continuous stretch of 10.4 miles before transitioning to the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway. The latter part of the route involves MO K, suggesting a shift to more local or county roads. Expect a blend of faster highway segments and potentially slower, more winding local road sections as you approach your destination.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.4 mi on South Washington Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 MO D; MO DD / North Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 52m drive. You will face about 5 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 (MO D; MO DD / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (US 36; MO 110 / Chicago-Kansas City Expressway): Navigation decision point; at 15.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
871 ft701 ft
Total Climb
316 ft
Total Descent
316 ft
Highest Point
871 ft
~8.4 mi in
Elevation Range
171 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 Ludlow, MO to Chula, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Carrollton along the way.
Carrollton
15.3 mi in|~25m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
The longest stretch is about 10.4 miles on South Washington Street. 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 (MO D; MO DD / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (US 36; MO 110 / Chicago-Kansas City Expressway): Navigation decision point; at 15.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Chula, MO before heading back.
