Origin
Jackson, MO
Afternoon in Jackson on Monday
Local time
12:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jackson, MO to Columbia, MO
Drive Time
3h 24m
Distance
218.2 mi
351 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$33
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 12m
★
6 AM
3h 24m
8 AM
3h 49m
10 AM
3h 33m
12 PM
3h 30m
3 PM
3h 34m
5 PM
3h 47m
8 PM
3h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jackson, MO
Lena Khrupina
Trip Overview
The drive from Jackson, MO to Columbia, MO covers 218.2 miles and takes about 3h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Hope Street, East Washington Street, North High Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.14 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
109.1 miles from Jackson, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 42m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 24m drive with frequent turns across 218.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Hope 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 3h 24m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Jackson, MO to Columbia, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Hope Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Washington Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North High Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 55 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Rosa Parks Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 270 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 64 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 64 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
North Hope Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jackson, MO and Columbia, MO.
1
Start on East Main Street
30 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn sharp left
82 ft
·
3 sec
3
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward North Hope Street
36 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Hope Street
4
Exit the roundabout onto North Hope Street
295 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Hope Street
5
Turn left onto East Washington Street
344 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Washington Street
6
Continue on North High Street
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
North High Street
7
Take the ramp left toward I 55 North: Perryville, Saint Louis
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
I 55 North: Perryville, Saint Louis
8
Merge slight left
89 mi
·
1 hr 36 min
9
Continue on Rosa Parks Highway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Rosa Parks Highway
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 270 West, I 255 East: Kansas City, Chicago
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
I 270 West, I 255 East: Kansas City, Chicago
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 270 West: Kansas City
387 ft
·
8 sec
·
I 270 West: Kansas City
12
Continue on I 270 West
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 270 West
13
Merge slight left
11 mi
·
14 min
14
Take the exit slight right toward I 64, US 40, US 61: Wentzville, Saint Louis
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 64, US 40, US 61: Wentzville, Saint Louis
15
Keep slight left to continue on I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: Wentzville
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: Wentzville
16
Continue on I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: Wentzville
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
I 64 West, US 40 West, US 61 North: Wentzville
17
Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints
25 mi
·
30 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
18
Take the exit slight left toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
19
Merge slight left onto Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
81 mi
·
1 hr 35 min
·
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
20
Continue on Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
21
Continue on Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
0.5 mi
·
34 sec
·
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
22
Take the exit slight right toward MO 163: Downtown
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
MO 163: Downtown
23
Turn left onto North Providence Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North Providence Road
24
Arrive at your destination
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 109.1 miles from Jackson, MO, or about 1h 42m 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 80 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 109.1 miles or 1h 42m 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 47m
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 Jackson, 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 Jackson, MO
This is one driving day of about 218.2 miles and 3h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Jackson, 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 109.1 mi from Jackson, MO · 1h 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
109 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 109.1 miles from Jackson, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Columbia, MO
The final approach into Columbia, 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 Columbia, 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
$33.14 one way
$66.28 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
76 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $36.54 | $73.07 |
| premium | $4.80 | $41.19 | $82.38 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $48.48 | $96.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 65.5 | 0 | $22.91 | $10.47 |
| Efficient EV | 54.6 | 0 | $19.09 | $8.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 87.3 | 1 | $30.55 | $13.96 |
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Columbia, MO
Afternoon in Columbia on Monday
Local time
12:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
10 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
3h 24m 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 Jackson, MO to Columbia, MO covers 218.2 miles and takes about 3h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Hope Street, East Washington Street, North High Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 109.1 miles from Jackson, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $33.14 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 24m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Jackson, MO to Columbia, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Jackson, MO to Columbia, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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