How far is Kansas City, MO from Appleton City, MO?

The driving distance from Kansas City, MO to Appleton City, MO is about 84.9 miles (136.6 km), with a travel time of about 01h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 69.5 miles (111.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 21m 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
84.85 mi
01h 40m
Flight
69.46 mi
111.78 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Kansas City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
69.46 mi
Kilometers
111.78 km
Flight Time
00h 08m

Driving Distance

Road route
84.85 mi
Kilometers
136.56 km
Drive Time
01h 40m

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 01h 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Appleton City
Thu, Apr 16, 7:45 PM CDT
Return by in Kansas City
Thu, Apr 16, 9:26 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Kansas City
2026-04-16T18:04
Arrive Appleton City
Thu, Apr 16, 7:45 PM CDT
Route Timing
01h 40m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:41 AM to 11:41 AM CDT

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

Leave by
3:08 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Kansas 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
Archie
MO

City in Cass County, Missouri, United States

From Kansas City
42.4 mi
00h 50m
To Appleton City
42.4 mi
00h 50m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Thursday

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
8 mph SW
Destination
81°F
Thursday

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kansas City and Appleton City.

  1. 1

    Start on Oak Street

    6 m · 5 sec · Oak Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto East 12th Street

    1308 ft · 42 sec · East 12th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Charlotte Street

    1497 ft · 41 sec · Charlotte Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto East Truman Road

    120 m · 12 sec · East Truman Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Campbell Street

    21 m · 1 sec · Campbell Street

  6. 6

    Take the ramp straight toward US 71 South: Joplin

    1114 ft · 27 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Bruce R. Watkins Drive

    65.2 mi · 1 hr 14 min · Bruce R. Watkins Drive

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward MO 52 East: Appleton City

    1092 ft · 29 sec

  9. 9

    Turn left

    18.6 mi · 24 min

  10. 10

    Turn left onto North Walnut Street

    4 m · 1 sec · North Walnut Street

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Walnut Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
11 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
13 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Bruce R. Watkins Drive
65.2 mi · 77%
Charlotte Street
0.28 mi
East 12th Street
0.25 mi
US 71 South
0.21 mi
MO 52 East
0.21 mi
East Truman Road
0.07 mi
Longest Stretch

Bruce R. Watkins Drive

Merge slight left onto Bruce R. Watkins Drive

65.2 mi · 01h 14m

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
01h 40m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+15.4 mi
69.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Archie
00h 50m from Kansas City
Leave By
3:08 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Sunny leaving Kansas City and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Appleton City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Kansas City to Appleton City?

The road trip is about 84.9 miles (136.6 km) and usually takes 01h 40m 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?

Archie is a useful midpoint, sitting about 42.4 miles from Kansas City and 42.4 miles from Appleton City.

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

The direct path is about 69.5 miles (111.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 15.4 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 3:08 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $11.28 one way or $22.55 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 26.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain Showers then Sunny around Kansas City and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Appleton City.

Stop Ideas Near Archie

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

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

RAIL

Lee's Summit

48 mi away
217 SW Main St.
RAIL

Warrensburg

62 mi away
100 South Holden St.
RAIL

Independence

68 mi away
600 South Grand Ave.
RAIL

Union Station

70 mi away
30 West Pershing Rd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Kansas City and Appleton City. Straight-line distance: 69.46 mi (111.78 km).

Kansas City

#1 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
Appleton City

#2 Appleton City

City in St.

Population1,080
Coordinates38.1905800, -94.0293900
Altitude267
CountryUnited States
Start: Kansas City (-94.57857, 39.09973)
End: Appleton City (-94.02939, 38.19058)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 137 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 49m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 07m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 41m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 24m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 03m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.99 gal
11.33 L · about $11.28
Round trip
$22.55
5.98 gal · 22.66 L
Estimated CO2
26.6 kg one way
Round trip: 53.1 kg / 117 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $11.28 $22.55
Mid-grade $4.25 $12.72 $25.43
Premium $4.65 $13.92 $27.83
Diesel $5.30 $15.86 $31.72

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Kansas City and Appleton City. The current time is 18:04:45.

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.