The drive from St. Louis, MO to La Plata, MO covers 194.8 miles and takes about 3h 54m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, North Missouri Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 101.2 miles on Avenue of the Saints.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.45 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
97.4 miles from St. Louis, MO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 58m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 54m. Total distance: 194.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from St. Louis, MO to La Plata, MO covers 194.8 miles and takes about 3h 54m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 101.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 194.8 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles (I 64; US 40 / Jack Buck Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 115.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 64 West, US 40 West: Wentzville
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 64 West, US 40 West: Wentzville
5
1.9 mi into trip|~3m in|I 64; US 40 / Jack Buck Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 64; US 40 / Jack Buck Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
115.9 mi into trip|~2h 22m in
Take the ramp toward US 36 West, MO 110 West: Monroe City
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 36 West, MO 110 West: Monroe City
5
174.8 mi into trip|~3h 30m in
Take the exit toward US 63: Macon, Kirksville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 63: Macon, Kirksville
5
194.8 mi into trip|~3h 54m in|East Moore Street
Turn right onto East Moore Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from St. Louis, MO to La Plata, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Kirksville along the way.
Kirksville
174.8 mi in|~3h 30m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
101.2 mi
2h
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
52.9 mi
1h 1m
North Missouri Street
18.9 mi
21m
V.F.W. Memorial Highway
5.8 mi
6m
Daniel Boone Expressway
5.7 mi
7m
Jack Buck Memorial Highway
4.3 mi
5m
Veterans Road
2.2 mi
3m
Market Street
1.6 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 101.2 mi, about 2h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between St. Louis, MO and La Plata, MO.
1
Start on Market Street
1.6 mi·3 min·Market Street
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·23 sec
Toward I 64 West, US 40 West: Wentzville
3
Merge onto I 64; US 40
4.3 mi·5 min·Jack Buck Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on I 64; US 40
5.7 mi·7 min·Daniel Boone Expressway
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on I 64; US 40; US 61
101 mi·2 hr·Avenue of the Saints
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the exit
249 ft·14 sec
7
Turn left onto Paris Gravel Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Paris Gravel Road
8
Keep slight right at fork onto County Road 422
279 ft·8 sec·County Road 422
9
Turn right onto Veterans Road
2.2 mi·3 min·Veterans Road
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·16 sec
Toward US 36 West, MO 110 West: Monroe City
11
Merge onto US 36; MO 110
5.8 mi·6 min·V.F.W. Memorial Highway
12
Continue on US 24; US 36; MO 110
53 mi·1 hr 1 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward US 63: Macon, Kirksville
14
Turn right onto US 63
19 mi·21 min·North Missouri Street
15
Take the exit
100 ft·4 sec
16
Turn left onto MO 156
0.7 mi·1 min·East Clark Street
17
Turn right onto South Gex Street
0.2 mi·39 sec·South Gex Street
18
Turn right onto East Moore Street
20 ft·0 sec·East Moore Street
19
Arrive at destination
East Moore Street
Trip Plan
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 97.4 miles from St. Louis, MO, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 101.2 miles.
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 43 miles or 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97.4 miles or 1h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near La Plata, MO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving St. Louis, 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 St. Louis, MO
This is one driving day of about 194.8 miles and 3h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from St. Louis, 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.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 101.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 97.4 mi from St. Louis, MO
· 1h 58m into the drive
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.45 one way
$60.91 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg68 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$33.44
$66.88
premium
$4.89
$37.49
$74.97
diesel
$5.61
$43.01
$86.02
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
17 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
ChargePoint Charging Station
St Peters, Missouri
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
EVXY Charging Station
Troy, Missouri
Other
1 DCFC
EVgo Charging Station
Wentzville, Missouri
EVgo
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Hannibal, Missouri
Tesla
1 DCFC
EVre Charging Station
Bowling Green, Missouri
Other
1 DCFC
EVXY Charging Station
O'Fallon, Missouri
Other
1 DCFC
Blink Charging Station
Wentzville, Missouri
Blink
1 DCFC
EVXY Charging Station
Moscow Mills, Missouri
Other
1 DCFC
Other: 8
ChargePoint: 4
EVgo: 2
Blink: 2
Tesla: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
58.4
0
$20.45
$9.35
Efficient EV
48.7
0
$17.04
$7.79
EV Truck/SUV
77.9
0
$27.27
$12.47
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (66% 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 17, 2026
Origin
St. Louis, MO
Afternoon
in St. Louis on Friday
Local time
2:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 8 to 15 mph32% chanceLive forecast
Destination
La Plata, MO
Afternoon
in La Plata on Friday
Local time
2:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
3h 54m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from St. Louis, MO to La Plata, MO covers 194.8 miles and takes about 3h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, North Missouri Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 97.4 miles from St. Louis, MO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.45 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 194.8 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles (I 64; US 40 / Jack Buck Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 115.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from St. Louis, MO to La Plata, MO, road signs begin pointing toward Kirksville along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
