Origin
St. Louis, MO
Morning in St. Louis on Friday
Local time
10:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from St. Louis, MO to La Plata, MO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 54m
Distance
194.8 mi
314 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 42m
★
6 AM
3h 55m
8 AM
4h 20m
10 AM
4h 3m
12 PM
4h 1m
3 PM
4h 5m
5 PM
4h 19m
8 PM
3h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Plata, MO
Valeria Boltneva
Trip Overview
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 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 $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 57m 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 54m drive with frequent turns across 194.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from St. Louis, MO to La Plata, MO is easy. At 3h 54m 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 La Plata, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 64 West | — | — |
| Jack Buck Memorial Highway | — | — |
| Daniel Boone Expressway | — | — |
| Avenue of the Saints | — | — |
| Paris Gravel Road | — | — |
| County Road 422 | — | — |
| Veterans Road | — | — |
| US 36 West | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
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 La Plata, 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
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Veterans Road
10
Take the ramp left toward US 36 West, MO 110 West: Monroe City
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
US 36 West, MO 110 West: Monroe City
11
Merge slight left onto V.F.W. Memorial Highway
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
V.F.W. Memorial Highway
12
Continue on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
53 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
·
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
13
Take the exit slight right toward US 63: Macon, Kirksville
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
US 63: Macon, Kirksville
14
Turn right onto North Missouri Street
19 mi
·
21 min
·
North Missouri Street
15
Take the exit left
102 ft
·
5 sec
16
Turn left onto East Clark Street
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
·
1 sec
·
East Moore Street
19
Arrive at your destination
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 57m 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 43 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97.4 miles or 1h 57m 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.
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 57m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
97 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 97.4 miles from St. Louis, MO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in La Plata, MO
The final approach into La Plata, 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 La Plata, 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
$30.45 one way
$60.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
68 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.
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.
Destination
La Plata, MO
Morning in La Plata on Friday
Local time
10:10 AM
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
5 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
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 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 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 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.
The drive from St. Louis, MO to La Plata, MO is easy. At 3h 54m 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 La Plata, MO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from St. Louis, MO to La Plata, MO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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