Trip from St. Louis, MO to Palmyra, MO

Drive Time

2h 36m

Distance

126 mi

203 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
2h 26m ★
6 AM
2h 37m
8 AM
2h 57m
10 AM
2h 44m
12 PM
2h 42m
3 PM
2h 45m
5 PM
2h 56m
8 PM
2h 30m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in and county seat of Marion County, Missouri, United States

Palmyra, MO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from St. Louis, MO to Palmyra, MO covers 126 miles and takes about 2h 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 64 West, Jack Buck Memorial Highway, Daniel Boone Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.14 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

63 miles from St. Louis, MO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 18m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 36m drive with frequent turns across 126 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 64 West 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. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from St. Louis, MO to Palmyra, MO is easy. At 2h 36m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from St. Louis, MO to Palmyra, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 64 West Unavailable Refreshing
Jack Buck Memorial Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Daniel Boone Expressway Unavailable Refreshing
Avenue of the Saints Unavailable Refreshing
Paris Gravel Road Unavailable Refreshing
County Road 422 Unavailable Refreshing
Veterans Road Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: I 64 West — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between St. Louis, MO and Palmyra, MO.

1

Start on Market Street

1.6 mi · 3 min · Market Street
2

Take the ramp slight left toward I 64 West, US 40 West: Wentzville

0.3 mi · 24 sec · I 64 West, US 40 West: Wentzville
3

Merge slight left onto Jack Buck Memorial Highway

4.3 mi · 5 min · Jack Buck Memorial Highway
4

Continue on Daniel Boone Expressway

5.7 mi · 7 min · Daniel Boone Expressway
5

Continue on Avenue of the Saints

101 mi · 2 hr · Avenue of the Saints
6

Take the exit slight left

249 ft · 15 sec
7

Turn left onto Paris Gravel Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Paris Gravel Road
8

Keep slight right to continue on County Road 422

279 ft · 9 sec · County Road 422
9

Turn right onto Veterans Road

3.2 mi · 5 min · Veterans Road
10

Turn left

1.7 mi · 2 min
11

Turn left onto Avenue of the Saints

5.3 mi · 6 min · Avenue of the Saints
12

Take the exit slight right

2.2 mi · 4 min
13

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 63 miles from St. Louis, MO, or about 1h 18m 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 80 miles or 1h 39m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 63 miles or 1h 18m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 8m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Palmyra, 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 126 miles and 2h 36m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 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.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 63 mi from St. Louis, MO · 1h 18m into the drive

city in Madison County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Alton, IL

63 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

Alton, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Alton, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 63 miles from St. Louis, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Palmyra, MO

The final approach into Palmyra, 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 Palmyra, 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

$19.14 one way

$38.28 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $21.10 $42.20
premium $4.80 $23.79 $47.57
diesel $5.64 $27.99 $55.99

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 44.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 37.8 0 $13.23 $6.05
Efficient EV 31.5 0 $11.02 $5.04
EV Truck/SUV 50.4 0 $17.64 $8.06

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

St. Louis, MO

Afternoon in St. Louis on Monday

Local time

3:46 PM

CDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Palmyra, MO

Afternoon in Palmyra on Monday

Local time

3:46 PM

CDT

Current temp

41°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

2h 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 St. Louis, MO to Palmyra, MO covers 126 miles and takes about 2h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 64 West, Jack Buck Memorial Highway, Daniel Boone Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 63 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 $19.14 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from St. Louis, MO to Palmyra, MO is easy. At 2h 36m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from St. Louis, MO to Palmyra, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from St. Louis, MO to Palmyra, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Palmyra, MO to St. Louis, MO

Plan the drive back the other way.

126.7 mi 2h 6m

Explore more options from St. Louis, MO or browse trips ending in Palmyra, MO.

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