Origin
Rock Hill, MO
Late night in Rock Hill on Sunday
Local time
2:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rock Hill, MO to Saint Charles, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
19 mi
31 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rock Hill, MO
Fahad Puthawala
Saint Charles, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 19-mile drive from Rock Hill, MO, to Saint Charles, MO, will take you about 29 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll navigate primarily via I-270 and I-70, with a portion also on Manchester Road. With a fuel cost estimated at $3, this is an economical journey. The mixed drive profile suggests a blend of highway speeds and potentially some local road sections. Since it's such a short distance, you won't need an overnight stay, offering plenty of flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 270 | 8.6 mi | 10m |
| Manchester Road | 4 mi | 8m |
| I 70 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| South Fifth Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Jefferson Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Second Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| I 70 Business | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Bluebell Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 270
— 8.6 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rock Hill, MO and Saint Charles, MO.
1
Start on Bluebell Lane
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Bluebell Lane
2
Turn right onto MO 100
4.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Manchester Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 270 North
4
Merge onto I 270
8.6 mi
·
10 min
·
I 270
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 20A
Toward I 70: Kansas City, Saint Louis, Saint Louis Lambert International Airport
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
Toward I 70 West: Kansas City
Use the slight left lane.
7
Continue on this road
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
·
this road
Exit 20B
Toward I 70 West: Kansas City
8
Merge onto I 70
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 70
9
Take the exit onto I 70 Business
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 70 Business
Exit 229B
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
231 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street North, Bass Pro Drive, Ameristar Boulevard
Use the right lane.
11
Turn slight right onto I 70 Business
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Fifth Street
Use the right lane.
12
Turn right onto Jefferson Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Jefferson Street
13
Turn left onto North Second Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
North Second Street
14
Arrive at destination
North Second Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 4.3 and 17.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 270
Merge onto I 270
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
12.9 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 70: Kansas City, Saint Louis, Saint Louis Lambert International Airport
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 20A
Toward I 70: Kansas City, Saint Louis, Saint Lo...
7
14 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 West: Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 70 West: Kansas City
7
17.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 70 Business
Take the exit onto I 70 Business toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 229B
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street
9
17.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street North, Bass Pro Drive, Ameristar Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 70 Business: Fifth Street North, Bass...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.97 one way
$5.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.26 | $6.52 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.66 | $7.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.19 | $8.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.66 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.22 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Destination
Saint Charles, MO
Late night in Saint Charles on Sunday
Local time
2:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Sunny
SW 8 mph
5% 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
1 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
29m 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?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 60% of it being highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.6 miles on I-270. This means you'll experience a good portion of consistent, faster travel, but also periods where you'll be on roads like Manchester Road, which could offer a different driving experience. The transition between these road types is part of what defines this short trip.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.6 mi on I 270.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.3 miles in near I 270.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 19 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.3 miles (I 270): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Rock Hill, MO and Saint Charles, MO, road signs point toward Saint Louis and Saint Louis Lambert International Airport.
Saint Louis
12.9 mi in
|
~19m
Saint Louis Lambert International Airport
12.9 mi in
|
~19m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 19 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.6 miles on I 270. 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 Saint Charles, MO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 4.3 miles (I 270): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway Arch National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Charles, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Saint Charles, MO
More from Rock Hill, MO
More trips to Saint Charles, MO
Explore more options from Rock Hill, MO or browse trips ending in Saint Charles, MO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MO road trips.