Traveling from Moscow Mills to Kansas City takes you across 213.4 miles of the Missouri landscape. You should plan for a drive time of approximately 4 hours and 4 minutes, making this a straightforward day trip that doesn't necessarily require an overnight stay. Your journey will primarily utilize the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and the U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. With fuel costs estimated at around $32, it is a budget-friendly way to cross the state. Since both your origin and destination are located within the Midwest, you can expect a consistent regional feel throughout your transit.
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
106.7 miles from Moscow Mills, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
74.4 mi
1h 26m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
54.3 mi
58m
George Brett Super Highway
6.8 mi
9m
MO W
5.8 mi
8m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
5.6 mi
6m
Avenue of the Saints
4.9 mi
6m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
— 74.4 mi, about 1h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Moscow Mills, MO and Kansas City, MO.
1
Start on MO C
0.7 mi·1 min·MO C
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·19 sec
Toward US 61 South: Wentzville
3
Merge onto US 61
4.9 mi·6 min·Avenue of the Saints
4
Turn right onto MO W
5.8 mi·8 min·MO W
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·13 sec
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia
6
Merge onto I 70; US 40
74 mi·1 hr 26 min·Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
7
Continue on I 70; US 40
2.0 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
8
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
9
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
10
Continue on I 70; US 40
54 mi·58 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
Exit 2LToward I 670 West, I 70 Alternate, I 35 South: Topeka, WichitaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 2PToward 13th Street, DowntownUse the slight right lane.
18
Continue on East 13th Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·East 13th Street
19
Turn right onto Oak Street
454 ft·13 sec·Oak Street
20
Arrive at destination
Oak Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour duration, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time to avoid potential traffic bottlenecks. Since the route includes one recommended stop, use that break to stretch your legs and refuel, keeping your $32 budget in mind. Because this is a turn-heavy drive, keep a close eye on your navigation to ensure you remain on the U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway when the roads shift. Planning for this single stop midway will help you maintain a steady pace across the 213.4-mile distance. If you prefer a relaxed pace, treat this as a full-day excursion to ensure you arrive in Kansas City refreshed.
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 106.7 miles from Moscow Mills, MO, or about 2h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 74.4 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 47 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 106.7 miles or 2h 6m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kansas City, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Moscow Mills, 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 Moscow Mills, MO
This is one driving day of about 213.4 miles and 4h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Moscow Mills, 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 74.4 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 213.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward US 61 South: Wentzville
Navigation decision point
Toward US 61 South: Wentzville
5
11.6 mi into trip|~16m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Columbia
9
212.6 mi into trip|~4h 2m in|I 670; I 70 Alt
Keep slight left at fork onto I 670; I 70 Alt toward I 670 West, I 70 Alternate, I 35 South: Topeka, Wichita
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2L
Toward I 670 West, I 70 Alternate, I 35 South:...
9
212.8 mi into trip|~4h 3m in
Take the exit toward 13th Street, Downtown
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 2P
Toward 13th Street, Downtown
5
213.3 mi into trip|~4h 4m in|Oak Street
Turn right onto Oak Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.36 one way
$66.73 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg75 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$36.63
$73.26
premium
$4.89
$41.07
$82.13
diesel
$5.61
$47.12
$94.23
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: 74.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64
0
$22.41
$10.24
Efficient EV
53.4
0
$18.67
$8.54
EV Truck/SUV
85.4
1
$29.88
$13.66
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 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 Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Moscow Mills, MO
Morning
in Moscow Mills on Sunday
Local time
9:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Kansas City, MO
Morning
in Kansas City on Sunday
Local time
9:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Sunny
SSW 3 to 10 mph2% chanceLive forecast
74°F
Columbia, MO
107 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
30 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
4h 4m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local driving experience as you navigate between these two Missouri hubs. While you will spend time on major thoroughfares like the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, the route features a mix of segments rather than a singular, monotonous interstate grind. Your longest uninterrupted stretch is 74.4 miles, providing brief periods of steady cruising before you transition back into more technical local road sections. Because the highway share is low, stay alert for frequent shifts in road conditions. This dynamic layout ensures that the drive remains engaging rather than repetitive.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 74.4 mi on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in.
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 4m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 212.6 miles (I 670; I 70 Alt): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
The longest stretch is about 74.4 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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: at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 212.6 miles (I 670; I 70 Alt): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Kansas City, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
