Connecting St. Louis to Columbia, this 124.8-mile journey across Missouri is a straightforward trek that typically takes about 2 hours and 32 minutes. Since it is a relatively short trip, you can easily complete it as a one-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, the Avenue of the Saints, and the Daniel Boone Expressway. Budgeting roughly $19 for fuel should keep you covered for the entire distance. Because both cities are located within the Midwest, you will experience a consistent regional feel throughout your travel. This route serves as a practical link between two major Missouri hubs, making it a convenient option for travelers looking to move between the cities efficiently.
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
62.4 miles from St. Louis, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 17m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
80.7 mi
1h 35m
Avenue of the Saints
27.8 mi
33m
Daniel Boone Expressway
5.7 mi
7m
Jack Buck Memorial Highway
4.3 mi
5m
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
2 mi
2m
Market Street
1.6 mi
3m
North Providence Road
1.2 mi
2m
US 40
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
— 80.7 mi, about 1h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between St. Louis, MO and Columbia, MO.
1
Start on Market Street
1.6 mi·3 min·Market Street
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·23 sec
Toward I 64 West, US 40 West: Wentzville
3
Merge onto I 64; US 40
4.3 mi·5 min·Jack Buck Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on I 64; US 40
5.7 mi·7 min·Daniel Boone Expressway
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on I 64; US 40; US 61
28 mi·33 min·Avenue of the Saints
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the exit onto US 40
0.6 mi·1 min·US 40
Exit 1AToward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas CityUse the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Merge onto I 70; US 40
81 mi·1 hr 35 min·Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
8
Continue on I 70; US 40
2.0 mi·2 min·Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
9
Continue on I 70; US 40
0.5 mi·34 sec·Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi·15 sec
Exit 126Toward MO 163: Downtown
11
Turn left onto MO 163
1.2 mi·2 min·North Providence Road
12
Arrive at destination
MO 163
Trip Plan
For the best experience, plan for a single stop to break up the 2-hour and 32-minute drive. Since the total mileage is just under 125 miles, you have plenty of flexibility to adjust your departure time based on your personal schedule. Keep in mind that the turn-heavy nature of the route means you should stay alert, especially when transitioning between the various expressways and local roads. Setting aside $19 for fuel is a safe estimate, but it is always wise to keep an eye on your gauge during the longer 80.7-mile stretch on the Eisenhower Highway. Taking advantage of the route's brevity allows you to spend more time at your destination rather than worrying about a complex travel itinerary.
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 62.4 miles from St. Louis, MO, or about 1h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.7 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 27 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.4 miles or 1h 17m 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 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Columbia, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving St. Louis, 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 St. Louis, MO
This is one driving day of about 124.8 miles and 2h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from St. Louis, 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 80.7 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 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 123.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 64 West, US 40 West: Wentzville
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 64 West, US 40 West: Wentzville
5
1.9 mi into trip|~3m in|I 64; US 40 / Jack Buck Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 64; US 40 / Jack Buck Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
39.7 mi into trip|~50m in|US 40
Take the exit onto US 40 toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
3
40.3 mi into trip|~51m in|I 70; US 40 / Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
Merge onto I 70; US 40 / Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
123.4 mi into trip|~2h 29m in
Take the exit toward MO 163: Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 126
Toward MO 163: Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.51 one way
$39.02 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$21.42
$42.84
premium
$4.89
$24.02
$48.03
diesel
$5.61
$27.55
$55.11
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
37.4
0
$13.10
$5.99
Efficient EV
31.2
0
$10.92
$4.99
EV Truck/SUV
49.9
0
$17.47
$7.99
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 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 20, 2026
Origin
St. Louis, MO
Morning
in St. Louis on Tuesday
Local time
7:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Columbia, MO
Morning
in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
7:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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 32m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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. While about 5% of the route consists of highway travel, the road surface and layout shift significantly as you progress. Your longest uninterrupted segment spans 80.7 miles along the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, providing a brief period of steady cruising. Outside of that stretch, the drive feels less like a monotonous interstate haul and more like a technical, engaging navigation through the local landscape. Be prepared for a dynamic experience where the road demands active steering rather than passive highway driving.
Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.7 mi on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 1.6 miles in.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 32m 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: at 1.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles (I 64; US 40 / Jack Buck Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles (US 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The Gateway City of St. Louis is the epitome of the modern Midwestern metropolis. Missouri's second-largest city is vibrant but laid-back, populous but navigable, historic but still relevant. The city's planners have created an aesthetically beautiful city, with plenty of green space amidst buildings both old and new, framed by the majestic Mississippi and Missouri rivers. And capping it all is the world's tallest man-made monument, the beautiful and iconic Gateway Arch.
St. Louis is a city of culture and surprisingly inexpensive. Among American cities, only Washington, D.C. has more free attractions for tourists and residents alike. Hotels, restaurants, and even parking garages avoid the premium pricing common in other big cities. Although often overlooked, St. Louis can be an affordable, educational, and fun family getaway.
Columbia is a bustling college town in Missouri, halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City. It is home of the University of Missouri (also known as 'Mizzou') as well as two other post-secondary institutions Stephens College and Columbia College.
The longest stretch is about 80.7 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 1.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles (I 64; US 40 / Jack Buck Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 39.7 miles (US 40): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Columbia, MO before heading back.
