The drive from Saint Joseph, MO to Ballwin, MO covers 290.8 miles and takes about 5h 34m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, I 29 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 135.3 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $45.46 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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
145.4 miles from Saint Joseph, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 40m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 34m. Total distance: 290.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 34m drive with frequent turns across 290.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 36 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 135.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 35.2 miles in near I 435.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 290.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 35.2 miles (I 435): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 63.2 miles (US 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 21 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
35.2 mi into trip|~39m in|I 435
Keep slight right at fork onto I 435 toward I 435 East: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 14
Toward I 435 East: Saint Louis
7
63.2 mi into trip|~1h 10m in|US 24
Keep slight right at fork onto US 24 toward I 70, US 24 West, US 40: Saint Louis, Kansas City, Sports Complex
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 63
Toward I 70, US 24 West, US 40: Saint Louis, Ka...
7
63.5 mi into trip|~1h 11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 East: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 70 East: Saint Louis
7
64.7 mi into trip|~1h 12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 East: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 70 East: Saint Louis
8
285.2 mi into trip|~5h 22m in
Take the exit toward MO 340: Olive Boulevard, Clarkson Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 19B
Toward MO 340: Olive Boulevard, Clarkson Road
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Saint Joseph, MO and Ballwin, MO, road signs point toward Kansas City and Sports Complex.
Kansas City
63.2 mi in|~1h 10m|via US 24
Sports Complex
63.2 mi in|~1h 10m|via US 24
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
135.3 mi
2h 34m
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
58m
I 29
28.4 mi
30m
I 435
28 mi
30m
Avenue of the Saints
19.1 mi
23m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
5.6 mi
6m
I 229
4.5 mi
4m
Baxter Road
2.9 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 135.3 mi, about 2h 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Joseph, MO and Ballwin, MO.
1
Start on Walter Welsh Avenue
417 ft·8 sec·Walter Welsh Avenue
2
Turn right onto North 12th Street
297 ft·10 sec·North 12th Street
3
Turn right onto Francis Street
0.2 mi·37 sec·Francis Street
4
Turn left onto I 29 Business
1.2 mi·2 min·North 9th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·15 sec
6
Merge onto US 36
0.2 mi·19 sec·US 36
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 229 South, US 59 South: Kansas City
8
Merge onto I 229; US 59
4.5 mi·4 min·I 229; US 59
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·29 sec
Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
10
Merge onto I 29; US 71
26 mi·27 min·I 29; US 71
11
Merge onto I 29; I 435; US 71
2.2 mi·2 min·I 29; I 435; US 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 435
28 mi·30 min·I 435
Exit 14Toward I 435 East: Saint LouisUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 24
0.3 mi·23 sec·US 24
Exit 63Toward I 70, US 24 West, US 40: Saint Louis, Kansas City, Sports Complex
14
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi·1 min
Toward I 70 East: Saint LouisUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
469 ft·11 sec
Toward I 70 East: Saint LouisUse the slight left / straight lanes.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, a...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
$19
near mile 290.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.46 one way
$90.93 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg102 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$49.92
$99.83
premium
$4.89
$55.96
$111.92
diesel
$5.61
$64.20
$128.41
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 101.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
26 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Tesla Supercharger
Lake St Louis, Missouri
Tesla
1 DCFC
Blink Charging Station
O'Fallon, Missouri
Blink
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination Charger
Kingdom City, Missouri
Tesla Destination
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination Charger
Columbia, Missouri
Tesla Destination
1 DCFC
Flying J EV Charging Station
Warrenton, Missouri
Other
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Columbia, Missouri
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Columbia, Missouri
Tesla
1 DCFC
Ionna Charging Station
Warrenton, Missouri
Other
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 8
Other: 6
Tesla: 3
Blink: 3
Tesla Destination: 3
EV Connect: 2
EVgo: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
87.2
1
$30.53
$13.96
Efficient EV
72.7
0
$25.45
$11.63
EV Truck/SUV
116.3
1
$40.71
$18.61
Gas CO2
102 kg
EV CO2
34 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Saint Joseph, MO
Late night
in Saint Joseph on Friday
Local time
5:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Ballwin, MO
Late night
in Ballwin on Friday
Local time
5:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Columbia, MO
145 mi in
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
17 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
5h 34m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Saint Joseph, MO to Ballwin, MO covers 290.8 miles and takes about 5h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway, I 29. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 145.4 miles from Saint Joseph, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $45.46 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 290.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 35.2 miles (I 435): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 63.2 miles (US 24): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Saint Joseph, MO and Ballwin, MO, road signs point toward Kansas City and Sports Complex.
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.
EV charging comes from the
NREL Alternative Fuels
dataset.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
