Origin
Malden, MO
Morning in Malden on Monday
Local time
8:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Malden, MO to Saint Joseph, MO
Drive Time
7h 21m
Distance
454.3 mi
731 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$69
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 11m
★
6 AM
7h 22m
8 AM
7h 43m
10 AM
7h 29m
12 PM
7h 27m
3 PM
7h 30m
5 PM
7h 42m
8 PM
7h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Malden, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Saint Joseph, MO
Andrés Oliver Joya Zapata
Trip Overview
The drive from Malden, MO to Saint Joseph, MO covers 454.3 miles and takes about 7h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Madison Street, West Main Street, North Douglas Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $69.00 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
227.1 miles from Malden, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 40m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 7h 21m drive with frequent turns across 454.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 43 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Madison 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
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 21m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Malden, MO to Saint Joseph, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Madison Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Douglas Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Westwood Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| State Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Westwood Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 65 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Schoolcraft Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
South Madison Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Malden, MO and Saint Joseph, MO.
1
Start on West Laclede Street
62 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Laclede Street
2
Turn left onto South Madison Street
443 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Madison Street
3
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Main Street
4
Turn right onto North Douglas Street
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
North Douglas Street
5
Turn left
12 mi
·
20 min
6
Turn right
20 mi
·
29 min
7
Turn right onto South Westwood Boulevard
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
South Westwood Boulevard
8
Continue on State Street
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
State Street
9
Continue on North Westwood Boulevard
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Westwood Boulevard
10
Continue straight
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
11
Continue straight
4.0 mi
·
4 min
12
Take the exit slight right
173 mi
·
3 hr 23 min
13
Take the exit slight right toward US 65 North: Sedalia
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
US 65 North: Sedalia
14
Merge slight left onto Schoolcraft Freeway
8.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Schoolcraft Freeway
15
Take the exit slight right toward I 44 West: Joplin
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 44 West: Joplin
16
Merge slight left onto Payne Stewart Highway
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Payne Stewart Highway
17
Take the exit slight right toward MO 13: Bolivar
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
MO 13: Bolivar
18
Keep slight left to continue on MO 13: Bolivar
151 ft
·
4 sec
·
MO 13: Bolivar
19
Keep slight right to continue on MO 13 North: Bolivar
210 ft
·
7 sec
·
MO 13 North: Bolivar
20
Merge slight left onto North Kansas Expressway
87 mi
·
1 hr 42 min
·
North Kansas Expressway
21
Continue straight
36 mi
·
39 min
22
Take the exit slight right toward I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
38 mi
·
45 min
·
I 49 North, US 71 North, MO 7 North: Kansas City
23
Take the exit slight right toward 11th Street, Downtown
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
11th Street, Downtown
24
Turn straight onto East 11th Street
427 ft
·
16 sec
·
East 11th Street
25
Turn right onto Charlotte Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Charlotte Street
26
Turn left onto East 9th Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
East 9th Street
27
Turn right onto Locust Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Locust Street
28
Continue straight
3.0 mi
·
5 min
29
Keep slight left to continue on MO 9 North: Riverside, Parkville
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
MO 9 North: Riverside, Parkville
30
Take the exit slight right toward US 169 North: Smithville
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 169 North: Smithville
31
Continue straight
1.2 mi
·
1 min
32
Take the exit slight left toward I 29 North, US 71 North: K.C.I. Airport, Saint Joseph
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 29 North, US 71 North: K.C.I. Airport, Saint Joseph
33
Merge slight right
12 mi
·
13 min
34
Merge slight left
2.7 mi
·
2 min
35
Keep slight left to continue on I 29 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph
26 mi
·
27 min
·
I 29 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph
36
Take the exit slight right toward I 229 North: Downtown Saint Joseph
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
I 229 North: Downtown Saint Joseph
37
Continue straight
5.7 mi
·
6 min
38
Take the exit slight right toward Central Business District
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Central Business District
39
Continue on Edmond Street
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Edmond Street
40
Turn left onto South 10th Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
South 10th Street
41
Turn right onto Frederick Avenue
381 ft
·
6 sec
·
Frederick Avenue
42
Turn slight right onto Walter Welsh Avenue
138 ft
·
3 sec
·
Walter Welsh Avenue
43
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 227.1 miles from Malden, MO, or about 3h 40m 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 100 miles or 1h 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 227.1 miles or 3h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Joseph, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Malden, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Malden, MO
This is one driving day of about 454.3 miles and 7h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 100 miles from Malden, MO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 227.1 mi from Malden, MO · 3h 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
227 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 100 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 227.1 miles from Malden, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Saint Joseph, MO
The final approach into Saint Joseph, 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 Saint Joseph, 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
$69.00 one way
$138.01 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
159 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $76.07 | $152.14 |
| premium | $4.80 | $85.76 | $171.53 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $100.93 | $201.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$69
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$94–$119
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 159 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $48 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 136.3 | 1 | $47.70 | $21.81 |
| Efficient EV | 113.6 | 1 | $39.75 | $18.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 181.7 | 2 | $63.60 | $29.08 |
Gas CO2
159 kg
EV CO2
53 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Saint Joseph, MO
Morning in Saint Joseph on Monday
Local time
8:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
7h 21m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Malden, MO to Saint Joseph, MO covers 454.3 miles and takes about 7h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Madison Street, West Main Street, North Douglas Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 227.1 miles from Malden, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $69.00 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 21m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Malden, MO to Saint Joseph, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Malden, MO to Saint Joseph, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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