How far is Saint Charles, MO from Branson, MO?

The driving distance from Saint Charles, MO to Branson, MO is about 253.6 miles (408.1 km), with a travel time of about 04h 49m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 210.3 miles (338.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 39m 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
253.58 mi
04h 49m
Flight
210.34 mi
338.51 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Saint Charles.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
210.34 mi
Kilometers
338.51 km
Flight Time
00h 25m

Driving Distance

Road route
253.58 mi
Kilometers
408.09 km
Drive Time
04h 49m

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 49m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Branson
Sun, Apr 12, 5:24 PM CDT
Return by in Saint Charles
Sun, Apr 12, 10:14 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Saint Charles
2026-04-12T12:34
Arrive Branson
Sun, Apr 12, 5:24 PM CDT
Route Timing
04h 49m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:50 AM to 12:50 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
7:20 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Saint Charles
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
Saint Robert
MO

City in Pulaski County, Missouri, United States

From Saint Charles
126.8 mi
02h 24m
To Branson
126.8 mi
02h 24m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Sunday

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
8 to 17 mph S
Destination
78°F
Sunday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 14 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Saint Charles and Branson.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Saint Charles and Branson.

  1. 1

    Start on North Second Street

    949 ft · 38 sec · North Second Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Jefferson Street

    1093 ft · 45 sec · Jefferson Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto South Fifth Street

    1.1 mi · 3 min · South Fifth Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight left toward I 70 East

    1019 ft · 14 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    2.7 mi · 3 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 270: Chicago, Memphis

    872 ft · 12 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on I 270 South: Memphis

    2339 ft · 33 sec

  8. 8

    Continue on I 270 South: Memphis

    723 ft · 10 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    10.9 mi · 14 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Dougherty Ferry Road

    1331 ft · 28 sec

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Dougherty Ferry Road

    2.5 mi · 5 min · Dougherty Ferry Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Forest Avenue

    1.6 km · 2 min · Forest Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left

    1.2 km · 1 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right

    32 m · 3 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right onto North Highway Drive

    748 ft · 14 sec · North Highway Drive

  16. 16

    Take the ramp straight toward I 44 West, US 50 West: Rolla

    936 ft · 13 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor

    189.8 mi · 3 hr 25 min · Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward US 65 South: Branson

    1412 ft · 48 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Schoolcraft Freeway

    11 mi · 14 min · Schoolcraft Freeway

  20. 20

    Continue on American Legion Memorial Highway

    10.9 mi · 13 min · American Legion Memorial Highway

  21. 21

    Continue on US Highway 65

    12 mi · 14 min · US Highway 65

  22. 22

    Continue on American Legion Memorial Highway

    7.5 mi · 9 min · American Legion Memorial Highway

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward MO 248, CR 165, Red Route

    1043 ft · 22 sec

  24. 24

    Keep slight left to continue on Red Route East

    79 m · 7 sec

  25. 25

    Turn straight onto Branson Landing Boulevard

    3251 ft · 2 min · Branson Landing Boulevard

  26. 26

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Veterans Boulevard

    47 m · 4 sec · Veterans Boulevard

  27. 27

    Exit the roundabout onto Veterans Boulevard

    2041 ft · 52 sec · Veterans Boulevard

  28. 28

    Continue on South Business 65

    52 m · 6 sec · South Business 65

  29. 29

    Turn right

    19 m · 5 sec

  30. 30

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Saint Charles and Branson.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
30 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
13
4 merges, 9 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor
190 mi · 75%
American Legion Memorial Highway
18.4 mi · 7%
US Highway 65
12 mi · 5%
I 270 South
11.5 mi · 5%
Schoolcraft Freeway
11 mi · 4%
I 70 East
2.85 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor

Merge slight left onto Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor

190 mi · 03h 25m

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 49m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+43.3 mi
210.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Saint Robert
02h 24m from Saint Charles
Leave By
7:20 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Saint Charles and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Branson.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Saint Charles to Branson?

The road trip is about 253.6 miles (408.1 km) and usually takes 04h 49m 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?

Saint Robert is a useful midpoint, sitting about 126.8 miles from Saint Charles and 126.8 miles from Branson.

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

The direct path is about 210.3 miles (338.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 43.3 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:20 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $33.75 one way or $67.50 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 79.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Saint Charles and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Branson.

Stop Ideas Near Saint Robert

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

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

RAIL

Jefferson City

84 mi away
101 Jefferson Street
RAIL

Hermann

117 mi away
Wharf & Gutenberg Sts.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Saint Charles and Branson. Straight-line distance: 210.34 mi (338.51 km).

Saint Charles

#1 Saint Charles

A city in St.

Population71,761
Coordinates38.7839400, -90.4812300
Altitude147
CountryUnited States
Branson

#2 Branson

Town in Taney County, Missouri, USA

Population11,687
Coordinates36.6436700, -93.2185100
Altitude237
CountryUnited States
Start: Saint Charles (-90.48123, 38.78394)
End: Branson (-93.21851, 36.64367)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 408 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 26m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 04m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 13m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 37m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.95 gal
33.87 L · about $33.75
Round trip
$67.50
17.9 gal · 67.74 L
Estimated CO2
79.5 kg one way
Round trip: 159.1 kg / 351 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $33.75 $67.50
Mid-grade $4.25 $38.06 $76.13
Premium $4.65 $41.65 $83.31
Diesel $5.30 $47.47 $94.94

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 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Saint Charles and Branson. The current time is 12:34:44.

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.