Chicago to St. Louis Freight Rates & Lane Guide (2024)

Chicago, Illinois → St. Louis, Missouri · 297 miles

Last verified: March 31, 2026 Source: DAT Freight & Analytics

Current Rate Benchmarks

FTL Dry Van

$3.40

Range: $2.80–$4.20/mile

Before fuel surcharge (~22% FSC)

LTL (Class 70)

$37.00

Range: $NaN–$NaN/cwt

Before fuel surcharge

FTL Transit Time

1 day

297 mile corridor

Standard single-driver service

Fuel Surcharge

22%

Applied to linehaul rate

Source: EIA weekly diesel avg

Lane Profile

Route	Chicago, Illinois → St. Louis, Missouri
Distance	297 miles
Lane Type	regional
Lane Direction	⚖️ Balanced (strong bi-directional demand)
Peak Season	Q4 holiday, Q2 manufacturing peak
Active Carriers	~560 carriers serving this lane

Market Context & Analysis

Chicago to St. Louis is a high-volume Midwest corridor connecting the nation's rail hub with a major river gateway city. Strong bi-directional demand from manufacturing, food processing, and distribution. The I-55 corridor has excellent carrier density.

Shipper Tips for This Lane

Same-day or next-day LTL service widely available. Rail intermodal via UP or BNSF is 10-15% cheaper for non-urgent freight over 20,000 lbs. St. Louis riverport adds multimodal options.

How to Calculate Total FTL Cost

The all-in FTL cost for this lane is calculated as:

All-in cost estimate: 297 miles × $3.40/mile = $1,010 base + fuel surcharge (~22%) = ~$10,322 all-in

This estimate excludes accessorial charges (liftgate, inside delivery, residential surcharges, detention, and driver layover). Use our landed cost calculator for a comprehensive total cost of ownership.

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