Moving from St. Louis to Reno

Reno is 1,841 road miles from St. Louis. The metro area has about 2.8 million residents, and the Census counts about 59 people a year moving to Washoe County from St. Clair County, Illinois, Franklin County, Missouri and Lincoln County, Missouri (2016 to 2020 estimates, with a margin of error), against about 53 a year going the other way.

The drive: 1,841 miles from Sparks to St. Louis

From the warehouse at 2277 Glendale Ave in Sparks, St. Louis is 1,841 miles away by road, or 31 h 18 min at free-flow speed. Plan on four driving days at 500 miles a day. The straight-line figure is 1,578 miles, which means the road adds about 263. None of this sets the delivery date, since the delivery window comes from your written estimate.

The routing tool breaks the trip into its main roads: I-80 for 1,388 miles, I-70 for 201 miles, I-29 for 119 miles and Nebraska Highway 2 for 47 miles. I-80 is the backbone, at about 75 percent of the distance.

St. Louis to Reno is 1,841 miles, one of the shorter runs in the batch. The route takes I-70 across Missouri for 201 miles toward the Kansas City area, then I-29 north for 119 miles, a 47-mile piece of Nebraska Highway 2, and I-80 for 1,388. The metro area spans two states, so a move from St. Clair County, Illinois uses the same road as one from Franklin or Lincoln County in Missouri once the truck crosses the river.

Reading the road numbers

A driver covering 500 miles a day would finish three full days and then a short final stretch of about 341 miles. The free-flow time implies an average pace near 59 miles per hour. Expect to set your watch back two hours on the way, since Reno runs on Pacific Time.

If you follow the truck in your own vehicle, the long I-80 stretch is where fuel, food and rest stops are easiest to find. The connector roads that make up the remaining 86 miles are the short, busy pieces at the start and end.

Terrain and weather on the way

St. Louis sits at 467 feet and Reno at about 4,930. The routing tool lists no named pass. River valleys and plains dominate the first three days, and Wyoming and Utah dominate the last two. Missouri and Nebraska both publish road-condition maps, which are useful in January and February and during spring storms.

Before loading day, check the state road-conditions site listed below for the start of the route and the Nevada road map (NDOT) for the finish.

Timing the trip and planning your own drive

Timing a move from St. Louis comes down to two seasons: the winter weeks, when a storm anywhere along the 1,841 miles can stretch the schedule, and the summer weeks, when demand is highest. A winter move still works, and your estimator builds weather time into the plan.

Because I-80 carries about 75 percent of the distance, a closure or crash on that one road affects the whole trip, and planners leave slack in the schedule for it. Driving behind the truck yourself? Count on four days, fill the tank before the longest empty stretches, and book lodging in advance during summer.

What changes when you arrive in Reno

The Census median rent in St. Louis is $997 a month and the median home value is $197,500; in Reno city they are $1,556 and $548,300. The Census median household income in Reno city is $80,760, against $56,160 in St. Louis. The table above puts both ends side by side.

Weather differs too. In St. Louis the January low is 24.1 degrees and the July high is 89.0, with 41 inches of precipitation a year; in Reno they are 26.1 and 93.9, with 7.3 inches of precipitation and about 21 inches of snow.

St. Louis has a low Census median rent, and the housing gap with Reno is among the widest. The July highs are 89 and 93.9 and the winter lows are 24.1 and 26.1, so the temperatures are similar while the humidity is not.

How the move works with O'Brien's

You book with O'Brien's, a Bekins Van Lines agent since 1955, and we coordinate the St. Louis move through the Bekins network. When the shipment reaches Northern Nevada we deliver and unpack it, and we store it in Sparks if your home is not ready. Your written estimate sets the delivery window.

Long-distance moves are priced by weight, and your estimate is itemized and in writing. You can start with a phone ballpark at 775-359-6683, an online request or a free in-home estimate, and you get an itemized inventory and condition report before packing. The in-home estimate comes with 10 free heavy-duty boxes, yours to keep.

A gap between homes is common, and the Sparks warehouse (30,000 square feet) can hold the shipment until you are ready, with vault storage from $40 per month. For the order of events, read how an interstate move works with a Bekins agent.

Getting settled in Reno

After you arrive, the Nevada DMV expects new residents to register a vehicle and apply for a Nevada license within 30 days. The moving to Reno guide covers utilities, schools and county services, and the Missouri page covers what changes from your state.