Origin
Platte City, MO
Morning in Platte City on Friday
Local time
8:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Platte City, MO to Saint Joseph, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
31.3 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Platte City, MO
zhou shen
Saint Joseph, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Platte City, MO to Saint Joseph, MO covers 31.3 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 29, I 229, Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.3 miles on I 29. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 36m highway drive covering 31.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 29 and I 229. The longest continuous stretch is about 23.3 miles on I 29.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 29 is the longest continuous segment at about 23.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 29 and I 229. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Platte City, MO to Saint Joseph, MO is easy. At 36m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 30.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 29 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 29 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph
5
24.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 229 North: Downtown Saint Joseph
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 43
Toward I 229 North: Downtown Saint Joseph
5
30.3 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Central Business District
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 6A
Toward Central Business District
4
31 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
I 29 Business / South 10th Street
Turn left onto I 29 Business / South 10th Street
Navigation decision point
4
31.2 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
I 29 Business / Frederick Avenue
Turn right onto I 29 Business / Frederick Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 29 | 23.3 mi | 24m |
| I 229 | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Edmond Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South 10th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| MO HH | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Frederick Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Walter Welsh Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 29
— 23.3 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Platte City, MO and Saint Joseph, MO.
1
Start on Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Continue on MO HH
491 ft
·
20 sec
·
MO HH
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 29 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph
4
Merge onto I 29; US 71
23 mi
·
24 min
·
I 29; US 71
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 43
Toward I 229 North: Downtown Saint Joseph
6
Continue on I 229
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
I 229
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 6A
Toward Central Business District
8
Continue on Edmond Street
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Edmond Street
9
Turn left onto I 29 Business
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
South 10th Street
10
Turn right onto I 29 Business
379 ft
·
6 sec
·
Frederick Avenue
11
Turn slight right onto Walter Welsh Avenue
137 ft
·
2 sec
·
Walter Welsh Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
Walter Welsh Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.89 one way
$9.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.37 | $10.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.02 | $12.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.91 | $13.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Saint Joseph, MO
Morning in Saint Joseph on Friday
Local time
8:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
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 Platte City, MO to Saint Joseph, MO covers 31.3 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 29, I 229, Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.7 miles from Platte City, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.89 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 Platte City, MO to Saint Joseph, MO is easy. At 36m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 30.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Platte City, MO to Saint Joseph, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Saint Joseph, MO
More from Platte City, MO
More trips to Saint Joseph, MO
Explore more options from Platte City, MO or browse trips ending in Saint Joseph, MO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MO road trips.