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Trip from Ludlow, MO to Chula, MO

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

52m

Distance

29.4 mi

47 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 48m ★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m

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

Downtown Ludlow, MO, MO

Ludlow, MO

Valeria Boltneva

Downtown Chula, MO, MO

Chula, MO

Valeria Boltneva

Trip Overview

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: Chillicothe Use 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

$4.89 one way

$9.78 round trip

$4.22/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $5.32 $10.65
premium $5.18 $6.00 $12.00
diesel $5.35 $6.19 $12.39

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

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 May 27, 2026

Origin

Ludlow, MO

Evening in Ludlow on Wednesday

Local time

5:52 PM

CDT

Current temp

86°F

Mostly Sunny

ENE 6 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Chula, MO

Evening in Chula on Wednesday

Local time

5:52 PM

CDT

Current temp

86°F

Mostly Sunny

ENE 7 mph 0% chance 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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

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.

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 Effort 3/10

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 ft 701 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.

Boji Stone Cafe

Cafe

Around the midpoint, right off the route

30min in 0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour

Chillicothe, MO

Visit website

The Parlor Bakery & Cafe

Cafe

Around the midpoint, right off the route

30min in 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

Chillicothe, MO

K&M Gourmet Popcorn and Snacks

Fast_food

Around the midpoint, right off the route

30min in 0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

Chillicothe, MO

Visit website

Subway

Fast_food

Around the midpoint, right off the route

30min in 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Cuisine: sandwich

Jerseys Sports Grill

Restaurant

Later in the drive, right off the route

35min in 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

Chillicothe, MO

Cuisine: american

Visit website

Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.

About the Cities

Starting in Ludlow, MO

Full guide →

Arriving in Chula, MO

Full guide →

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 52m. Total distance: 29.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

52m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (32%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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