How far is Excelsior Springs, MO from Kansas City, MO?

The driving distance from Excelsior Springs, MO to Kansas City, MO is about 28.5 miles (45.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 33m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 25.1 miles (40.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 06m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
28.51 mi
00h 33m
Flight
25.1 mi
40.39 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Excelsior Springs.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
25.1 mi
Kilometers
40.39 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
28.51 mi
Kilometers
45.89 km
Drive Time
00h 33m

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 00h 33m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kansas City
Sat, Apr 25, 3:05 PM CDT
Return by in Excelsior Springs
Sat, Apr 25, 3:38 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Excelsior Springs
2026-04-25T14:32
Arrive Kansas City
Sat, Apr 25, 3:05 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 33m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:33 AM to 7:33 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:24 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Excelsior Springs
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Liberty
MO

City in Missouri, United States

From Excelsior Springs
14.1 mi
00h 16m
To Kansas City
14.4 mi
00h 16m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 25 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph ESE
Destination
75°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 25 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph ESE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Excelsior Springs and Kansas City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Excelsior Springs and Kansas City.

  1. 1

    Start on South Thompson Avenue

    32 m · 11 sec · South Thompson Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn sharp right onto Saint Louis Avenue

    42 m · 7 sec · Saint Louis Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Saint Louis Avenue

    1548 ft · 55 sec · Saint Louis Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Sycamore Street

    726 ft · 22 sec · Sycamore Street

  5. 5

    Turn slight left onto Kearney Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Kearney Road

  6. 6

    Continue on West Jesse James Road

    1.2 km · 2 min · West Jesse James Road

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    25.3 mi · 31 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 70 East, US 40 East, US 71 South: Saint Louis, Joplin

    1742 ft · 33 sec

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown

    745 ft · 20 sec

  10. 10

    Turn slight right onto East 11th Street

    1356 ft · 52 sec · East 11th Street

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Oak Street

    141 m · 15 sec · Oak Street

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Oak Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Excelsior Springs and Kansas City.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
12 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
0 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
42.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
West Jesse James Road
26 mi · 91%
Kearney Road
0.94 mi · 3%
I 70 East
0.33 mi · 1%
Saint Louis Avenue
0.32 mi · 1%
East 11th Street
0.26 mi · 1%
Downtown
0.14 mi
Longest Stretch

West Jesse James Road

Continue straight

25.3 mi · 00h 31m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 33m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 06m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.4 mi
25.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Liberty
00h 16m from Excelsior Springs
Leave By
7:24 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Excelsior Springs and Mostly Sunny near Kansas City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Excelsior Springs to Kansas City?

The road trip is about 28.5 miles (45.9 km) and usually takes 00h 33m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Liberty is a useful midpoint, sitting about 14.1 miles from Excelsior Springs and 14.4 miles from Kansas City.

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

The direct path is about 25.1 miles (40.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.4 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:24 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.81 one way or $7.62 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Excelsior Springs and Mostly Sunny near Kansas City.

Stop Ideas Near Liberty

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Liberty and the surrounding midpoint area.
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
Scenic stop 12.8 mi away

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Kansas City , MO
1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108
Rating 4.8/5 1,825 reviews Tourist attraction,National museum
Excelsior Springs City Hall And Hall Of Waters
Meeting point 13.6 mi away

Excelsior Springs City Hall And Hall Of Waters

Excelsior Springs , MO
201 E Broadway Ave St, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024
Rating 4.7/5 7 reviews City Hall
Kansas City Music Hall
Nearby stop 13 mi away

Kansas City Music Hall

Kansas City , MO
301 W 13th St, Kansas City, MO 64105
Rating 4.5/5 500 reviews Auditorium
Overlook at Quality Hill
Scenic stop 13 mi away

Overlook at Quality Hill

Kansas City , MO
1031 Summit St, Kansas City, MO 64105
Rating 4.7/5 19 reviews Park

Transit and Meeting Points

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

Transit stop coverage is not ready for this midpoint yet.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Excelsior Springs and Kansas City. Straight-line distance: 25.1 mi (40.39 km).

Excelsior Springs

#1 Excelsior Springs

City in Clay County, Missouri, United States

Population11,833
Coordinates39.3391700, -94.2260600
Altitude239
CountryUnited States
Kansas City

#2 Kansas City

The third most populous city in Missouri and the center of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Population495,327
Coordinates39.0997300, -94.5785700
Altitude274
CountryUnited States
Start: South Thompson Avenue (-94.226056, 39.33917)
End: Oak Street (-94.578571, 39.099732)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 46 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 57m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 42m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 34m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 28m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 24m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 21m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.01 gal
3.81 L · about $3.81
Round trip
$7.62
2.02 gal · 7.62 L
Estimated CO2
9 kg one way
Round trip: 18 kg / 40 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.81 $7.62
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.30 $8.59
Premium $4.65 $4.70 $9.40
Diesel $5.30 $5.36 $10.71

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 · Apr 25, 2026

There is no time difference between Excelsior Springs and Kansas City. The current time is 14:32:14.

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.