Skip to main content

Trip from Caruthersville, MO to St. Louis, MO

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 56m

Distance

195.6 mi

315 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 33 min
4 AM
2h 46m ★
6 AM
2h 57m
8 AM
3h 19m
10 AM
3h 5m
12 PM
3h 2m
3 PM
3h 6m
5 PM
3h 18m
8 PM
2h 50m

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

city in and county seat of Pemiscot County, Missouri, United States

Caruthersville, MO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Caruthersville, MO to St. Louis, MO covers 195.6 miles and takes about 2h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on West 3rd Street, I 55 North, Rosa Parks Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.58 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

97.8 miles from Caruthersville, MO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 28m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 56m. Total distance: 195.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 56m drive with frequent turns across 195.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West 3rd Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Caruthersville, MO to St. Louis, MO is easy. At 2h 56m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Caruthersville, MO to St. Louis, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
West 3rd Street
I 55 North
Rosa Parks Highway
MO 30 East
Gravois Avenue
South Tucker Boulevard
Market Street

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: West 3rd Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Caruthersville, MO and St. Louis, MO.

1

Start on the route

46 ft · 9 sec · the route
2

Turn left onto West 3rd Street

2.9 mi · 5 min · West 3rd Street
3

Continue straight

2.0 mi · 3 min
4

Take the ramp right toward I 55 North, US 61 North: Sikeston

0.3 mi · 33 sec · I 55 North, US 61 North: Sikeston
5

Merge slight left

74 mi · 1 hr 19 min
6

Keep slight left

102 mi · 1 hr 49 min
7

Continue on Rosa Parks Highway

12 mi · 15 min · Rosa Parks Highway
8

Take the exit slight right toward MO 30 East: Gravois Avenue

0.2 mi · 24 sec · MO 30 East: Gravois Avenue
9

Turn slight right onto Gravois Avenue

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Gravois Avenue
10

Continue on South Tucker Boulevard

1.3 mi · 3 min · South Tucker Boulevard
11

Turn right onto Market Street

85 ft · 2 sec · Market Street
12

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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 97.8 miles from Caruthersville, MO, or about 1h 28m into the drive.

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 43 miles or 38m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 97.8 miles or 1h 28m 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 24m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near St. Louis, MO than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Caruthersville, 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 Caruthersville, MO

This is one driving day of about 195.6 miles and 2h 56m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Caruthersville, 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.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 97.8 mi from Caruthersville, MO · 1h 28m into the drive

Downtown Byrnes Mill, MO, MO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Byrnes Mill, MO

98 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Cape Girardeau, MO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Byrnes Mill, MO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 97.8 miles from Caruthersville, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in St. Louis, MO

The final approach into St. Louis, MO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around St. Louis, MO.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$30.58 one way

$61.16 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 68 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $33.58 $67.15
premium $4.89 $37.64 $75.28
diesel $5.61 $43.19 $86.37

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$31

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$56–$81

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 68.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 58.7 0 $20.54 $9.39
Efficient EV 48.9 0 $17.12 $7.82
EV Truck/SUV 78.2 0 $27.38 $12.52

Gas CO2

68 kg

EV CO2

23 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 15, 2026

Origin

Caruthersville, MO

Late night in Caruthersville on Friday

Local time

5:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

St. Louis, MO

Late night in St. Louis on Friday

Local time

5:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°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

18 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

2h 56m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Caruthersville, MO to St. Louis, MO covers 195.6 miles and takes about 2h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are West 3rd Street, I 55 North, Rosa Parks Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 97.8 miles from Caruthersville, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.58 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Caruthersville, MO to St. Louis, MO is easy. At 2h 56m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Caruthersville, MO to St. Louis, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Caruthersville, MO to St. Louis, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Caruthersville, MO or browse trips ending in St. Louis, MO.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MO road trips.