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Trip from Saint Charles, MO to Chesterfield, MO

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

27m

Distance

16.8 mi

27 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 25m ★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in and county seat of St. Charles County, Missouri, United States

Saint Charles, MO

Wikimedia Commons

city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States

Chesterfield, MO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Spanning just 16.8 miles, this quick trip between Saint Charles and Chesterfield is a straightforward transit within the Missouri Midwest. You can expect to complete the drive in approximately 27 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. Given the short duration, you won't need to worry about overnight lodging or complex logistics. Budgeting around $3 for fuel should easily cover the round trip, keeping your costs minimal. Because this route is entirely contained within the same region, you will experience a consistent suburban feel throughout the journey. It is a highly practical connection for those looking to move efficiently between these two areas.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Maryland Heights Expressway 8.9 mi 12m
Avenue of the Saints 2.6 mi 3m
I 70 1.7 mi 2m
South Fifth Street 1.1 mi 2m
North Outer 40 0.4 mi <1m
Old Chesterfield Road 0.3 mi 1m
Jefferson Street 0.2 mi <1m
North Second Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Maryland Heights Expressway — 8.9 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Saint Charles, MO and Chesterfield, MO.

1

Start on North Second Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · North Second Street
2

Turn right onto Jefferson Street

0.2 mi · 44 sec · Jefferson Street
3

Turn left onto MO 94

1.1 mi · 2 min · South Fifth Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 14 sec
Toward I 70 East Use the left / straight lanes.
5

Merge onto I 70

1.7 mi · 2 min · I 70
6

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 34 sec
Exit 231A Toward MO 141 South: Maryland Heights Expressway Use the slight right lane.
7

Merge onto MO 141

8.9 mi · 12 min · Maryland Heights Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Toward I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: Wentzville
9

Merge onto I 64; US 40; US 61

2.6 mi · 3 min · Avenue of the Saints
Use the straight lane.
10

Take the exit

381 ft · 8 sec
Exit 19A Toward Chesterfield Parkway West Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn straight onto North Outer 40

0.4 mi · 55 sec · North Outer 40
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12

Turn left onto Chesterfield Parkway West

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Chesterfield Parkway West
Use the left / straight lanes.
13

Turn right

0.3 mi · 33 sec
14

Turn straight onto Wild Horse Creek Road

158 ft · 4 sec · Wild Horse Creek Road
15

Turn right onto Old Chesterfield Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Old Chesterfield Road
16

Turn left onto Santa Maria Drive

107 ft · 4 sec · Santa Maria Drive
17

Arrive at destination

Santa Maria Drive

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 15.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Jefferson Street

Turn right onto Jefferson Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | MO 94 / South Fifth Street

Turn left onto MO 94 / South Fifth Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
5
1.5 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 70 East

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes. Toward I 70 East
7
3.4 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the exit toward MO 141 South: Maryland Heights Expressway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 231A Toward MO 141 South: Maryland Heights Expresswa...
7
15.6 mi into trip | ~24m in

Take the exit toward Chesterfield Parkway West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 19A Toward Chesterfield Parkway West

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.63 one way

$5.25 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $2.88 $5.77
premium $4.89 $3.23 $6.47
diesel $5.61 $3.71 $7.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5 0 $1.76 $0.81
Efficient EV 4.2 0 $1.47 $0.67
EV Truck/SUV 6.7 0 $2.35 $1.08

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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 12, 2026

Origin

Saint Charles, MO

Late night in Saint Charles on Tuesday

Local time

3:08 AM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Partly Cloudy

S 9 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 12:21AM CDT by NWS Paducah KY

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 9:46PM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Destination

Chesterfield, MO

Late night in Chesterfield on Tuesday

Local time

3:08 AM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Partly Cloudy

S 8 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 12:21AM CDT by NWS Paducah KY

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 11 at 9:46PM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

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

27m 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 highway-focused drive that prioritizes speed and efficiency over winding backroads. With 63% of the journey spent on highways, you will primarily navigate via the Maryland Heights Expressway, the Avenue of the Saints, and I-70. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 8.9 miles on the Maryland Heights Expressway, offering a steady pace for the bulk of your time behind the wheel. The remainder of the route transitions through local road segments, requiring a bit more attention as you arrive at your destination. Overall, the experience is functional and direct, designed for those who prefer a predictable commute over a leisurely scenic tour.

63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.9 mi on Maryland Heights Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maryland Heights Expressway and Avenue of the Saints. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Jefferson Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 16.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (MO 94 / South Fifth Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

517 ft 431 ft

Total Climb

54 ft

Total Descent

92 ft

Highest Point

517 ft

~1.4 mi in

Elevation Range

86 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 Saint Charles, MO to Chesterfield, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Chesterfield Parkway West along the way.

Chesterfield Parkway West

15.6 mi in | ~24m

About the Cities

Starting in Saint Charles, MO

Full guide →

St. Charles, Missouri is outside of St. Louis on the bank of the Missouri River. It was Missouri's first state capital and was one of the first stops by Lewis and Clark on their journey to explore Louisiana Territory. The historic Main Street has largely been restored to its 1812-era appearance including gas lights a boardwalk and is lined with shops selling artwork, handicrafts, home decorations, antiques. There are also many restaurants.

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 27m. Total distance: 16.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

27m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 8.9 miles on Maryland Heights Expressway. 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 Chesterfield, 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 0.2 miles (Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (MO 94 / South Fifth Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: 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 Chesterfield, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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