How far is Jefferson City, MO from Chillicothe, MO?

The driving distance from Jefferson City, MO to Chillicothe, MO is about 149.3 miles (240.3 km), with a travel time of about 02h 53m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 112 miles (180.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 47m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
149.32 mi
02h 53m
Flight
111.99 mi
180.23 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Jefferson City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
111.99 mi
Kilometers
180.23 km
Flight Time
00h 13m

Driving Distance

Road route
149.32 mi
Kilometers
240.31 km
Drive Time
02h 53m

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 02h 53m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chillicothe
Tue, May 5, 4:43 AM CDT
Return by in Jefferson City
Tue, May 5, 7:37 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Jefferson City
2026-05-05T01:50
Arrive Chillicothe
Tue, May 5, 4:43 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 53m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:54 AM to 12:54 PM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
12:42 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Jefferson City
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Cairo
MO

Village in Missouri, United States

From Jefferson City
74.6 mi
01h 26m
To Chillicothe
74.7 mi
01h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
66°F
Tuesday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Tue, May 5 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 10 mph E
Destination
58°F
Tuesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Tue, May 5 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
7 to 13 mph NNE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Jefferson City and Chillicothe.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Jefferson City and Chillicothe.

  1. 1

    Start on East Wall Way

    47 m · 13 sec · East Wall Way

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Jefferson Street

    77 m · 15 sec · Jefferson Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto West McCarty Street

    1 km · 2 min · West McCarty Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp right toward US 54 East, US 63 North: Fulton, Columbia

    713 ft · 18 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    1.4 mi · 2 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward US 63 North: Columbia

    86.9 mi · 1 hr 37 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit left toward US 36 West, MO 110 West: Saint Joseph

    875 ft · 12 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

    58.2 mi · 1 hr 7 min · Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward US 65, US 36 Business: Chillicothe, Carrollton

    975 ft · 28 sec

  10. 10

    Turn right onto South Washington Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · South Washington Street

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Jackson Street

    98 m · 15 sec · Jackson Street

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Locust Street

    687 ft · 30 sec · Locust Street

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Locust Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Jefferson City and Chillicothe.

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
13 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 63 North
86.9 mi · 58%
Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
58.2 mi · 39%
US 54 East
1.57 mi · 1%
South Washington Street
1.36 mi · 1%
West McCarty Street
0.65 mi
US 65
0.18 mi
Longest Stretch

US 63 North

Take the exit slight right toward US 63 North: Columbia

86.9 mi · 01h 37m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 53m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+37.3 mi
112 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Cairo
01h 26m from Jefferson City
Leave By
12:42 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Jefferson City and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Chillicothe.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Jefferson City to Chillicothe?

The road trip is about 149.3 miles (240.3 km) and usually takes 02h 53m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Cairo is a useful midpoint, sitting about 74.6 miles from Jefferson City and 74.7 miles from Chillicothe.

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

The direct path is about 112 miles (180.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 37.3 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 12:42 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $19.87 one way or $39.75 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 46.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Jefferson City and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Chillicothe.

Stop Ideas Near Cairo

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Cairo, 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 Cairo.

RAIL

La Plata

58 mi away
535 N. Owensby St.
RAIL

Quincy

104 mi away
North 30th St. and Wisman Lane
RAIL

Jefferson City

106 mi away
101 Jefferson Street
RAIL

Sedalia

112 mi away
100 block of Main Street, through parking lot

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Jefferson City and Chillicothe. Straight-line distance: 111.99 mi (180.23 km).

Jefferson City

#1 Jefferson City

The capital of Missouri.

Population42,708
Coordinates38.5767000, -92.1735200
Altitude192
CountryUnited States
Chillicothe

#2 Chillicothe

City in Missouri

Population8,915
Coordinates39.7952900, -93.5524400
Altitude243
CountryUnited States
Start: Jefferson City (-92.17352, 38.5767)
End: Chillicothe (-93.55244, 39.79529)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 240 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 58m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 43m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 59m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 29m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 51m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.27 gal
19.95 L · about $19.87
Round trip
$39.75
10.54 gal · 39.9 L
Estimated CO2
46.8 kg one way
Round trip: 93.7 kg / 207 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $19.87 $39.75
Mid-grade $4.25 $22.41 $44.83
Premium $4.65 $24.53 $49.05
Diesel $5.30 $27.95 $55.90

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 05, 2026

There is no time difference between Jefferson City and Chillicothe. The current time is 01:50:04.

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.