If you are planning a trip from Raytown to Jefferson City, expect a straightforward journey covering 152.8 miles. You can comfortably complete this drive in roughly 2 hours and 51 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Throughout the drive, you will navigate a mix of roads including the U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, and US 63. Budgeting approximately $23 for fuel should be sufficient for the round trip. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, the transition between these two Missouri locations feels consistent and familiar. It is a practical, efficient route that gets you from point A to point B without any unnecessary complexity.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
76.4 miles from Raytown, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 25m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
54.3 mi
58m
US 63
28.5 mi
31m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
5.6 mi
6m
Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
1m
Raytown Road
1.6 mi
2m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
1.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
— 54.4 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Raytown, MO and Jefferson City, MO.
32 mi·34 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
22 mi·24 min·U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
12
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi·2 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
13
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.6 mi·1 min·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
14
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.5 mi·1 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi·15 sec
Exit 128AToward US 63: Jefferson City, Moberly
16
Turn slight right
192 ft·4 sec
Toward US 63 South: Jefferson City
17
Merge onto US 63 Conn
521 ft·11 sec·US 63 Conn
Use the slight right lane.
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward US 63 South: Jefferson CityUse the straight lane.
19
Merge onto US 63
27 mi·29 min·US 63
20
Take the exit onto US 63
1.3 mi·1 min·US 63
Toward US 54 West, US 63 South: Jefferson City
21
Take the exit
388 ft·18 sec
Toward State Capitol
22
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.6 mi·1 min·West Main Street
23
Turn right onto Broadway Street
446 ft·26 sec·Broadway Street
24
Turn left onto West High Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·West High Street
25
Turn right
254 ft·25 sec
26
At end of road, turn left onto East Wall Way
6 ft·0 sec·East Wall Way
27
Arrive at destination
East Wall Way
Trip Plan
Because this is a manageable drive of under three hours, you have plenty of flexibility in your departure time. You should plan for one scheduled stop to break up the journey and keep your focus sharp on the more technical, turn-heavy sections. Since the route involves a significant amount of local road travel, keep a close eye on your navigation to ensure you stay on track through the various highway transitions. Make sure to account for the $23 fuel cost in your travel budget before heading out. Given the nature of the drive, leaving in the morning allows you to arrive in Jefferson City with plenty of daylight to navigate the final local segments of the trip.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 76.4 miles from Raytown, MO, or about 1h 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.4 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 34 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.4 miles or 1h 25m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jefferson City, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Raytown, 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 Raytown, MO
This is one driving day of about 152.8 miles and 2h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Raytown, 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 U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway for about 54.4 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 122.7 and 152.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
122.7 mi into trip|~2h 15m in
Take the exit toward US 63: Jefferson City, Moberly
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 128A
Toward US 63: Jefferson City, Moberly
7
122.8 mi into trip|~2h 16m in|US 63 Conn
Merge onto US 63 Conn
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
122.9 mi into trip|~2h 16m in
Take the exit toward US 63 South: Jefferson City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward US 63 South: Jefferson City
5
150.5 mi into trip|~2h 46m in|US 63
Take the exit onto US 63 toward US 54 West, US 63 South: Jefferson City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 54 West, US 63 South: Jefferson City
6
152.8 mi into trip|~2h 51m in|East Wall Way
At end of road, turn left onto East Wall Way
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.89 one way
$47.78 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg54 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$26.23
$52.46
premium
$4.89
$29.40
$58.81
diesel
$5.61
$33.74
$67.47
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.8
0
$16.04
$7.33
Efficient EV
38.2
0
$13.37
$6.11
EV Truck/SUV
61.1
0
$21.39
$9.78
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (66% 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 13, 2026
Origin
Raytown, MO
Late night
in Raytown on Sunday
Local time
2:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
SSW 10 to 14 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:46PM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:46PM CDT until April 20 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
Jefferson City, MO
Late night
in Jefferson City on Sunday
Local time
2:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 9 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:46PM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:46PM CDT until April 20 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
73°F
Concordia, MO
76 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
2 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
2h 51m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Only 19% of this route consists of highway travel, meaning you will spend the majority of your time navigating local roads rather than cruising on a monotonous interstate. Your longest stretch of consistent driving occurs during the 54.4 miles spent on the U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. Because the route relies heavily on local paths, the road’s personality is more technical than a standard highway commute. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience where the road conditions change frequently as you transition between the various highways and local segments.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.4 mi on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 122.7 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
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 152.8 miles you will encounter 16 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 122.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 122.8 miles (US 63 Conn): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 122.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,019 ft573 ft
Total Climb
823 ft
Total Descent
1,210 ft
Highest Point
1,019 ft
Elevation Range
446 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 Raytown, MO to Jefferson City, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Moberly along the way.
Moberly
122.7 mi in|~2h 15m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 51m. Total distance: 152.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 54.4 miles on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. 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 Jefferson City, MO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 122.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 122.8 miles (US 63 Conn): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 122.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Jefferson City, MO before heading back.
