How far is East Independence, MO from Salem, MO?

The driving distance from East Independence, MO to Salem, MO is about 235.2 miles (378.5 km), with a travel time of about 04h 44m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 182.6 miles (293.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 29m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
235.21 mi
04h 44m
Flight
182.63 mi
293.92 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from East Independence.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
182.63 mi
Kilometers
293.92 km
Flight Time
00h 22m

Driving Distance

Road route
235.21 mi
Kilometers
378.54 km
Drive Time
04h 44m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 04h 44m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Salem
Wed, May 13, 12:11 AM CDT
Return by in East Independence
Wed, May 13, 4:56 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave East Independence
2026-05-12T19:26
Arrive Salem
Wed, May 13, 12:11 AM CDT
Route Timing
04h 44m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:45 AM to 12:45 PM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
7:30 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in East Independence
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Columbia
MO

The most populous city in the state of Missouri.

From East Independence
117.5 mi
02h 22m
To Salem
117.7 mi
02h 22m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
86°F
Tuesday

Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
12 to 17 mph SW
Destination
80°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 13 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between East Independence and Salem.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Independence and Salem.

  1. 1

    Start on East 9th Street South

    24 m · 9 sec · East 9th Street South

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Main Road

    1341 ft · 1 min · Main Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East Truman Road

    1.1 km · 1 min · East Truman Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Holke Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Holke Road

  5. 5

    Turn straight onto South Jackson Drive

    1.2 mi · 2 min · South Jackson Drive

  6. 6

    Turn left onto East R.D. Mize Road

    1268 ft · 37 sec · East R.D. Mize Road

  7. 7

    Turn right onto South Little Blue Parkway

    1.7 mi · 3 min · South Little Blue Parkway

  8. 8

    Take the ramp left toward Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street, Mall Entrance

    1489 ft · 38 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    52.5 mi · 57 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  10. 10

    Continue on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

    32 mi · 34 min · U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

    22.4 mi · 24 min · U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

  12. 12

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1.8 mi · 2 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward US 63: Jefferson City, Moberly

    748 ft · 16 sec

  16. 16

    Turn slight right onto US 63 South: Jefferson City

    59 m · 4 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left

    159 m · 12 sec

  18. 18

    Take the exit straight toward US 63 South: Jefferson City

    2329 ft · 50 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight left

    27.1 mi · 29 min

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward US 54 West, US 63 South: Jefferson City

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward US 63 South, US 50

    66 m · 5 sec

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on US 63 South, US 50

    724 ft · 16 sec

  23. 23

    Keep slight left to continue on US 63 South, US 50 East

    547 ft · 15 sec

  24. 24

    Keep slight left

    12 mi · 15 min

  25. 25

    Keep slight right to continue on US 63 South: Rolla

    49.4 mi · 1 hr 4 min

  26. 26

    Turn left onto North Walnut Street

    747 ft · 26 sec · North Walnut Street

  27. 27

    Continue on East 18th Street

    1072 ft · 39 sec · East 18th Street

  28. 28

    Turn right onto Holloway Street

    1.4 km · 3 min · Holloway Street

  29. 29

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Salem Avenue

    1.2 km · 2 min · Salem Avenue

  30. 30

    Turn left

    2.3 mi · 4 min

  31. 31

    Continue straight

    21.2 mi · 27 min

  32. 32

    Turn left

    1.4 mi · 3 min

  33. 33

    Turn left onto West 4th Street

    1270 ft · 35 sec · West 4th Street

  34. 34

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East 4th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between East Independence and Salem.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
34 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
14.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 63 South
89.4 mi · 38%
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi · 23%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
54.3 mi · 23%
Salem Avenue
21.9 mi · 9%
South Little Blue Parkway
1.74 mi · 1%
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial High
1.58 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

52.5 mi · 00h 57m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 44m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+52.6 mi
182.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Columbia
02h 22m from East Independence
Leave By
7:30 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving East Independence and Sunny near Salem.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from East Independence to Salem?

The road trip is about 235.2 miles (378.5 km) and usually takes 04h 44m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Columbia is a useful midpoint, sitting about 117.5 miles from East Independence and 117.7 miles from Salem.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 182.6 miles (293.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 52.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:30 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $31.30 one way or $62.60 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 73.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around East Independence and Sunny near Salem.

Stop Ideas Near Columbia

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Columbia, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Columbia.

RAIL

Jefferson City

44 mi away
101 Jefferson Street
RAIL

Sedalia

82 mi away
100 block of Main Street, through parking lot
RAIL

Hermann

83 mi away
Wharf & Gutenberg Sts.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between East Independence and Salem. Straight-line distance: 182.63 mi (293.92 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 East Independence

A census-designated place in Jackson County, Missouri.

Population110,675
Coordinates39.0955600, -94.3552300
Altitude256
CountryUnited States
Salem

#2 Salem

City in Missouri, United States

Population4,874
Coordinates37.6456000, -91.5359800
Altitude361
CountryUnited States
Start: East Independence (-94.35523, 39.09556)
End: Salem (-91.53598, 37.6456)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 379 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 50m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 55m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 56m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.3 gal
31.42 L · about $31.30
Round trip
$62.60
16.6 gal · 62.84 L
Estimated CO2
73.8 kg one way
Round trip: 147.5 kg / 325 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $31.30 $62.60
Mid-grade $4.25 $35.30 $70.60
Premium $4.65 $38.63 $77.26
Diesel $5.30 $44.02 $88.05

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Missouri · May 13, 2026

There is no time difference between East Independence and Salem. The current time is 19:26:46.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.