Origin
Columbia, MO
Evening in Columbia on Friday
Local time
7:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MO to Albany, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 7m
Distance
193.5 mi
311 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 54m
★
6 AM
4h 7m
8 AM
4h 33m
10 AM
4h 16m
12 PM
4h 14m
3 PM
4h 18m
5 PM
4h 32m
8 PM
3h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Albany, MO
Valeria Boltneva
Trip Overview
The drive from Columbia, MO to Albany, MO covers 193.5 miles and takes about 4h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, MO 13, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.4 miles on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.25 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
96.8 miles from Columbia, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 51m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 7m. Total distance: 193.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Columbia, MO to Albany, MO covers 193.5 miles and takes about 4h 7m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 54.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles (I 70; US 40 / Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 78.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn left toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
3
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 70; US 40 / Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 70; US 40 / Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
78.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
Take the exit toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 49
Toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg
3
78.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
|
MO 13
Turn right onto MO 13
Navigation decision point
5
134.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 41m in
|
US 69 / Northeast Highway 69
Enter roundabout onto US 69 / Northeast Highway 69
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
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 Columbia, MO to Albany, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Warrensburg along the way.
Warrensburg
78.2 mi in
|
~1h 26m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway | 54.4 mi | 58m |
| MO 13 | 45.1 mi | 1h 1m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 21.7 mi | 23m |
| Chicago-Kansas City Expressway | 19.9 mi | 21m |
| MO A | 11.5 mi | 20m |
| West Elm Street | 10.5 mi | 13m |
| Dilley Street | 8 mi | 14m |
| Northeast Highway 69 | 8 mi | 10m |
Longest stretch:
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
— 54.4 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MO and Albany, MO.
1
Start on MO 163
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North Providence Road
2
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
3
Merge onto I 70; US 40
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
4
Continue on I 70; US 40
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5
Continue on I 70; US 40
54 mi
·
58 min
·
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
6
Continue on I 70; US 40
20 mi
·
21 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 49
Toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg
8
Turn right onto MO 13
45 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
·
MO 13
9
Turn left onto MO 116
11 mi
·
13 min
·
West Elm Street
10
Enter roundabout onto US 69
22 ft
·
0 sec
·
Northeast Highway 69
11
Continue on US 69
8.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Northeast Highway 69
12
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
13
Merge onto I 35; MO 110
20 mi
·
21 min
·
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
15
Turn left onto US 69
7.2 mi
·
10 min
·
US 69
16
Turn left onto MO Z
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
2nd Street
17
Turn slight left onto MO Z
8.0 mi
·
14 min
·
Dilley Street
18
Turn right onto MO A
12 mi
·
20 min
·
MO A
19
Continue on MO 85
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
MO 85
20
Turn right onto East Jackson Street
193 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Jackson Street
21
Arrive at destination
East Jackson Street
Trip Plan
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 96.8 miles from Columbia, MO, or about 1h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.4 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 43 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 96.8 miles or 1h 51m 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 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Albany, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Columbia, 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 Columbia, MO
This is one driving day of about 193.5 miles and 4h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Columbia, 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 U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway for about 54.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 96.8 mi from Columbia, MO · 1h 51m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
97 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 96.8 miles from Columbia, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Albany, MO
The final approach into Albany, 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 Albany, 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
$30.25 one way
$60.50 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
68 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $33.21 | $66.43 |
| premium | $4.89 | $37.24 | $74.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $42.72 | $85.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 67.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 58.1 | 0 | $20.32 | $9.29 |
| Efficient EV | 48.4 | 0 | $16.93 | $7.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 77.4 | 0 | $27.09 | $12.38 |
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.
Destination
Albany, MO
Evening in Albany on Friday
Local time
7:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°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
2 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
4h 7m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Columbia, MO to Albany, MO covers 193.5 miles and takes about 4h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, MO 13, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 96.8 miles from Columbia, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.25 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles (I 70; US 40 / Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 78.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Columbia, MO to Albany, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Warrensburg along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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