Origin
Eureka, MO
Late night in Eureka on Friday
Local time
5:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eureka, MO to Cape Girardeau, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
38.3 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eureka, MO
Valeria Boltneva
Cape Girardeau, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Eureka, MO to Cape Girardeau, MO covers 38.3 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 55 South, US 61, I 55 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 38.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 45m drive with frequent turns across 38.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 55 South 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 Eureka, MO to Cape Girardeau, MO is easy. At 45m 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 Eureka, MO to Cape Girardeau, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 South | — | — |
| US 61 | — | — |
| I 55 | — | — |
| North Kingshighway | — | — |
| Broadway Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 55 South
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eureka, MO and Cape Girardeau, MO.
1
Start on the route
2.5 mi
·
6 min
·
the route
2
Turn left
19 mi
·
28 min
3
Take the ramp left toward I 55 South: Cape Girardeau
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
I 55 South: Cape Girardeau
4
Merge slight left
5.4 mi
·
5 min
5
Take the exit slight right toward US 61, MO 34, I 55 Business: Cape Girardeau, Jackson
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 61, MO 34, I 55 Business: Cape Girardeau, Jackson
6
Keep slight left to continue on I 55 Business, US 61 South, MO 34 East: Cape Girardeau
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
I 55 Business, US 61 South, MO 34 East: Cape Girardeau
7
Continue on North Kingshighway
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North Kingshighway
8
Turn left onto Broadway Street
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Broadway Street
9
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.2 mi from Eureka, MO · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Eureka, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cape Girardeau, MO
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Cape Girardeau, MO if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.99 one way
$11.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.57 | $13.15 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.37 | $14.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.46 | $16.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Cape Girardeau, MO
Late night in Cape Girardeau on Friday
Local time
5:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
47°F
Pocahontas, MO
19 mi in
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
28 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
45m 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 Eureka, MO to Cape Girardeau, MO covers 38.3 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 55 South, US 61, I 55. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.2 miles from Eureka, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.99 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.
The drive from Eureka, MO to Cape Girardeau, MO is easy. At 45m 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 Eureka, MO to Cape Girardeau, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Eureka, MO to Cape Girardeau, 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.
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