St. Louis to Memphis, MO is 203 miles and takes about 4 hours 17 minutes via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, traversing Missouri for its entirety. The majority of this trip is on surface roads, offering a more leisurely pace compared to interstate travel. With only one recommended stop and a single day's drive, it's a straightforward route for those looking to connect these two Missouri cities without extensive planning.
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
101.7 miles from St. Louis, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
151.4 mi
2h 59m
US 136
33.8 mi
50m
Daniel Boone Expressway
5.7 mi
7m
Jack Buck Memorial Highway
4.3 mi
5m
Veterans Road
3.2 mi
5m
MO W
1.7 mi
2m
Market Street
1.6 mi
3m
Paris Gravel Road
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 151.4 mi, about 2h 59m
Traffic on I-64
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~5,822 veh/hr typical
· worst 7,201
Quietest
2 AM
~165 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
35.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 91 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between St. Louis, MO and Memphis, 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
101 mi·2 hr·Avenue of the Saints
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the exit
249 ft·14 sec
7
Turn left onto Paris Gravel Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Paris Gravel Road
8
Keep slight right at fork onto County Road 422
279 ft·8 sec·County Road 422
9
Turn right onto Veterans Road
3.2 mi·5 min·Veterans Road
10
Turn left onto MO W
1.7 mi·2 min·MO W
11
Turn left onto US 61
17 mi·20 min·Avenue of the Saints
12
Take the exit onto US 61
33 mi·38 min·Avenue of the Saints
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·48 sec
Toward US 136: Wayland, Kahoka
14
Turn left onto US 136
34 mi·50 min·US 136
15
Turn right onto US 136 Business
0.5 mi·53 sec·South Market Street
16
Turn left onto US 136 Business
0.1 mi·10 sec·East Monroe Street
17
Arrive at destination
US 136 Business
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour 17-minute duration, leaving St. Louis in the morning allows ample time to reach Memphis, MO before evening. This route is designed for a single day, so you won't need to plan for an overnight stay. Plan for just one stop to break up the drive, which will help manage your time effectively. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the 151.4-mile stretch on the Avenue of the Saints, as services might be less frequent than on major interstates. The $32 fuel cost is a good estimate for planning your budget.
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 101.7 miles from St. Louis, MO, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 151.4 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 45 miles or 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101.7 miles or 2h 3m 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 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Memphis, 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 203.4 miles and 4h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 151.4 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 168.8 — 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.
4
113.1 mi into trip|~2h 17m in|Paris Gravel Road
Turn left onto Paris Gravel Road
Navigation decision point
4
113.6 mi into trip|~2h 18m in|County Road 422
Keep slight right at fork onto County Road 422
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
168.8 mi into trip|~3h 25m in
Take the exit toward US 136: Wayland, Kahoka
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 136: Wayland, Kahoka
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.93 one way
$67.86 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$36.88
$73.75
premium
$5.26
$42.11
$84.23
diesel
$6.18
$49.48
$98.96
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61
0
$21.36
$9.76
Efficient EV
50.9
0
$17.80
$8.14
EV Truck/SUV
81.4
1
$28.48
$13.02
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 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 Oct 16, 2026
Origin
St. Louis, MO
Morning
in St. Louis on Saturday
Local time
8:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
NW 17 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Memphis, MO
Morning
in Memphis on Saturday
Local time
8:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Cloudy
NW 15 to 20 mph9% chanceLive 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
4 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
4h 17m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, a...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly surface roads, with only 19% of the drive on highways. You'll spend most of your time cruising on roads like US 136 and the Daniel Boone Expressway. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change in road type is 151.4 miles on the Avenue of the Saints, indicating a long period of consistent driving. Expect a less hurried pace with fewer exits than you would encounter on a full interstate trip.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 151.4 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
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 203.4 miles you will encounter 12 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 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 113.1 miles (Paris Gravel Road): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
869 ft464 ft
Total Climb
823 ft
Total Descent
484 ft
Highest Point
869 ft
~87.2 mi in
Elevation Range
406 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 St. Louis, MO to Memphis, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Kahoka along the way.
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.
Top landmarks
•Gateway Arch — monument in St. Louis, Missouri
•Missouri Botanical Garden — non-profit organization in the USA
•Gateway Arch National Park — American National Park in St. Louis, Missouri
Memphis is the second largest city in the state of Tennessee, after Nashville. The state rests in the southeastern portion of the United States. Memphis, with a population of more than 651,000 (2019), is also the county seat for Shelby County. The city's claims to fame include Graceland, the mansion Elvis Presley lived in during his later years. Perhaps more importantly, Memphis is considered by many to be the home of blues music.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 17m. Total distance: 203.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (19%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 151.4 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 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 113.1 miles (Paris Gravel Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Gateway Arch National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Memphis, MO, but most travelers stay overnight.
