How far is Lexington, MO from Columbia, MO?

The driving distance from Lexington, MO to Columbia, MO is about 95.6 miles (153.8 km), with a travel time of about 01h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 84.4 miles (135.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 09m 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
95.58 mi
01h 34m
Flight
84.48 mi
135.95 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lexington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
84.48 mi
Kilometers
135.95 km
Flight Time
00h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
95.58 mi
Kilometers
153.82 km
Drive Time
01h 34m

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 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Columbia
Thu, Apr 30, 3:33 AM CDT
Return by in Lexington
Thu, Apr 30, 5:07 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lexington
2026-04-30T01:58
Arrive Columbia
Thu, Apr 30, 3:33 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:35 AM to 11:35 AM CDT

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

Leave by
3:20 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lexington
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
Nelson
MO

City in Saline County, Missouri, United States

From Lexington
47.7 mi
00h 47m
To Columbia
47.8 mi
00h 47m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 30 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph WSW
Destination
67°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 30 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
1 to 7 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lexington and Columbia.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lexington and Columbia.

  1. 1

    Start on South 13th Street

    81 m · 13 sec · South 13th Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Main Street

    1.6 mi · 4 min · Main Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp straight toward MO 13 South: Higginsville

    1182 ft · 29 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left

    15.4 mi · 21 min

  5. 5

    Take the exit left toward I 70 East, US 40 East: Columbia

    954 ft · 23 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    19.9 mi · 21 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

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

  8. 8

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

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

  9. 9

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1.8 mi · 2 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  10. 10

    Continue on Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway

    1.3 km · 1 min · Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward MO 163: Downtown

    672 ft · 16 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right onto North Providence Road

    1.2 mi · 3 min · North Providence Road

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Providence Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lexington and Columbia.

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
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
13.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway
54.4 mi · 57%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
21.6 mi · 23%
MO 13 South
15.6 mi · 16%
Main Street
1.59 mi · 2%
North Providence Road
1.18 mi · 1%
Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial High
0.81 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

Continue on U.S. Submarine Veterans' Memorial Highway

32 mi · 00h 34m

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 34m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+11.2 mi
84.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Nelson
00h 47m from Lexington
Leave By
3:20 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Lexington and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Columbia.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lexington to Columbia?

The road trip is about 95.6 miles (153.8 km) and usually takes 01h 34m 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?

Nelson is a useful midpoint, sitting about 47.7 miles from Lexington and 47.8 miles from Columbia.

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

The direct path is about 84.4 miles (135.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 11.2 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 3:20 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $12.71 one way or $25.42 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 29.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Lexington and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Columbia.

Stop Ideas Near Nelson

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

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

RAIL

Sedalia

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

Warrensburg

66 mi away
100 South Holden St.
RAIL

Jefferson City

88 mi away
101 Jefferson Street
RAIL

Lee's Summit

117 mi away
217 SW Main St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lexington and Columbia. Straight-line distance: 84.48 mi (135.95 km).

Lexington

#1 Lexington

City in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States

Population4,543
Coordinates39.1847300, -93.8799400
Altitude259
CountryUnited States
Columbia

#2 Columbia

The most populous city in the state of Missouri.

Population124,769
Coordinates38.9517100, -92.3340700
Altitude215
CountryUnited States
Start: South 13th Street (-93.87983, 39.184727)
End: North Providence Road (-92.33414, 38.951711)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 154 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 11m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 23m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 54m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 35m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 11m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.37 gal
12.77 L · about $12.71
Round trip
$25.42
6.74 gal · 25.54 L
Estimated CO2
29.9 kg one way
Round trip: 59.9 kg / 132 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $12.71 $25.42
Mid-grade $4.25 $14.33 $28.67
Premium $4.65 $15.68 $31.37
Diesel $5.30 $17.87 $35.75

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 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Lexington and Columbia. The current time is 01:58:24.

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.