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Trip from Jefferson City, MO to Richmond, MO

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 36m

Distance

135.9 mi

219 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
2h 26m ★
6 AM
2h 36m
8 AM
2h 57m
10 AM
2h 43m
12 PM
2h 41m
3 PM
2h 44m
5 PM
2h 56m
8 PM
2h 30m

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

capital city of Missouri, United States and county seat of Cole County

Jefferson City, MO

Wikimedia Commons

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

Richmond, MO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Jefferson City, MO to Richmond, MO covers 135.9 miles and takes about 2h 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Jefferson Street, West McCarty Street, US 54 East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.25 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

67.9 miles from Jefferson City, MO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 18m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 36m. Total distance: 135.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 36m 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 36m drive with frequent turns across 135.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Jefferson 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 Jefferson City, MO to Richmond, MO is easy. At 2h 36m 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 Jefferson City, MO to Richmond, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Jefferson Street
West McCarty Street
US 54 East
US 63 North
I 70
I 70 West
Sheriff Roger I
Highway Patrol Sgt

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Jefferson Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Jefferson City, MO and Richmond, MO.

1

Start on East Wall Way

154 ft · 13 sec · East Wall Way
2

Turn right onto Jefferson Street

253 ft · 15 sec · Jefferson Street
3

Turn right onto West McCarty Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · West McCarty Street
4

Take the ramp right toward US 54 East, US 63 North: Fulton, Columbia

0.1 mi · 18 sec · US 54 East, US 63 North: Fulton, Columbia
5

Merge slight left

1.4 mi · 1 min
6

Take the exit slight right toward US 63 North: Columbia

28 mi · 30 min · US 63 North: Columbia
7

Take the exit slight right toward I 70, US 40, MO PP: Kansas City, Saint Louis

0.4 mi · 43 sec · I 70, US 40, MO PP: Kansas City, Saint Louis
8

Continue straight

0.2 mi · 31 sec
9

Take the exit left toward I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City

0.4 mi · 54 sec · I 70 West, US 40 West: Kansas City
10

Merge slight left onto Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway

1.3 mi · 1 min · Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway
11

Continue on Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway

1.6 mi · 1 min · Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway
12

Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

1.8 mi · 2 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
13

Continue on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

54 mi · 58 min · U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
14

Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

20 mi · 21 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
15

Take the exit slight right toward MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg

0.2 mi · 26 sec · MO 13: Higginsville, Warrensburg
16

Turn right

25 mi · 32 min
17

Turn left onto East Main Street

0.3 mi · 50 sec · East Main Street
18

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 67.9 miles from Jefferson City, MO, or about 1h 18m 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 30 miles or 34m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 67.9 miles or 1h 18m 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 8m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Jefferson City, 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 Jefferson City, MO

This is one driving day of about 135.9 miles and 2h 36m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Jefferson City, 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 67.9 mi from Jefferson City, MO · 1h 18m into the drive

Downtown Sweet Springs, MO, MO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Sweet Springs, MO

68 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

Columbia, MO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Sweet Springs, MO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 67.9 miles from Jefferson City, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Richmond, MO

The final approach into Richmond, 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 Richmond, 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

$21.25 one way

$42.49 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $23.33 $46.66
premium $4.89 $26.15 $52.31
diesel $5.61 $30.01 $60.01

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 47.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 40.8 0 $14.27 $6.52
Efficient EV 34 0 $11.89 $5.44
EV Truck/SUV 54.4 0 $19.03 $8.70

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 kg (67% 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

Jefferson City, MO

Morning in Jefferson City on Thursday

Local time

11:07 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Richmond, MO

Morning in Richmond on Thursday

Local time

11:07 AM

CDT

Current temp

53°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

21 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

2h 36m 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 Jefferson City, MO to Richmond, MO covers 135.9 miles and takes about 2h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jefferson Street, West McCarty Street, US 54 East. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 67.9 miles from Jefferson City, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.25 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 Jefferson City, MO to Richmond, MO is easy. At 2h 36m 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 Jefferson City, MO to Richmond, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Jefferson City, MO to Richmond, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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