Origin
Saint Joseph, MO
Late night in Saint Joseph on Friday
Local time
5:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 38m
Distance
296.5 mi
477 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$46
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Joseph, MO
Wikimedia Commons
Berkeley, MO
Valeria Boltneva
The drive from Saint Joseph, MO to Berkeley, MO covers 296.5 miles and takes about 5h 38m 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 163.7 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.35 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
148.2 miles from Saint Joseph, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 43m into the drive .
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 38m. Total distance: 296.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 5h 38m drive with frequent turns across 296.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
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.
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 19 significant decision points across 296.5 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.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 435 toward I 435 East: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 East: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 East: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 170 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Saint Joseph, MO and Berkeley, MO, road signs point toward Kansas City and Sports Complex.
Kansas City
Sports Complex
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 163.7 mi | 3h 9m |
| U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway | 54.4 mi | 58m |
| I 29 | 28.4 mi | 30m |
| I 435 | 28 mi | 30m |
| Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| I 229 | 4.5 mi | 4m |
| Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Clifton J. Scott Memorial Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Joseph, MO and Berkeley, MO.
Start on Walter Welsh Avenue
Turn right onto North 12th Street
Turn right onto Francis Street
Turn left onto I 29 Business
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 36
Take the exit
Merge onto I 229; US 59
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 29; US 71
Merge onto I 29; I 435; US 71
Keep slight right at fork onto I 435
Keep slight right at fork onto US 24
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 70
Continue on I 70
Continue on I 70
Continue on I 70
Continue on I 70
Continue on I 70; US 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
Continue on I 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Take the exit
Merge onto I 170
Take the exit
Turn right onto Airport Road
Turn left onto Evergreen Boulevard
Arrive at destination
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.
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 65 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 148.2 miles or 2h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Berkeley, MO than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Saint Joseph, 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 Saint Joseph, MO
This is one driving day of about 296.5 miles and 5h 38m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 148.2 mi from Saint Joseph, MO · 2h 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
148 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.
A short stop after about 65 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 148.2 miles from Saint Joseph, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 163.7 miles.
The final approach into Berkeley, 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 Berkeley, MO.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$46.35 one way
$92.71 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $50.90 | $101.79 |
| premium | $4.89 | $57.06 | $114.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $65.46 | $130.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 103.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 89 | 1 | $31.13 | $14.23 |
| Efficient EV | 74.1 | 0 | $25.94 | $11.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 118.6 | 1 | $41.51 | $18.98 |
Gas CO2
104 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Saint Joseph on Friday
Local time
5:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Berkeley on Friday
Local time
5:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
74°F
Fayette, MO
148 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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.
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