In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
East St. Louis
East St. Louis, Illinois
Skip a night here. Come for the Gateway Geyser and the Casino Queen, about 10 min by MetroLink from downtown St. Louis, and sleep across the river.
East St. Louis sits on the Illinois bank of the Mississippi, directly opposite downtown St. Louis, and the MetroLink Blue and Red lines link the two in about 10 minutes. Almost everything a visitor wants — the Gateway Geyser, the riverfront casino, the Katherine Dunham Museum — fits in half a day. The Dunham Museum is appointment-only, so email ahead. Crime rates are high and the city is spread out, so most travellers sleep in St. Louis or in the Metro East towns and treat East St. Louis as a stop, not a base.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- East St. Louis, Illinois
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), Jan–Feb (ice and cold)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–100 excl. bed · Mid $100–180 excl. bed · High $180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Casino or diner meal | $12–25 |
| Beer at a bar | $5–9 |
| MetroLink ride | $2.50–4 |
| Rideshare to downtown St. Louis | $12–20 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- STL · St. Louis Lambert International
- About 16 mi (26 km) west; MetroLink Red Line runs to the East Riverfront area.About 16 mi (16 mi) west; MetroLink Red Line runs to the East Riverfront area.
- BLV · MidAmerica St. Louis
- About 22 mi (35 km) southeast near Mascoutah, Illinois; limited flights.About 22 mi (22 mi) southeast near Mascoutah, Illinois; limited flights.
- ALN · St. Louis Regional
- About 25 mi (40 km) north; small field, few scheduled flights.About 25 mi (25 mi) north; small field, few scheduled flights.
Typical fares
- MetroLink East St. Louis → downtown St. Louis
- about $2.50–4, 10 min
- Rideshare East St. Louis → downtown St. Louis
- $12–20
- STL airport → East St. Louis by taxi
- $35–50, 20–30 min
Get around
MetroLink (Blue and Red lines) is the reliable way in and out, with five East St. Louis stops: East Riverfront, 5th & Missouri, Emerson Park, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center and Washington Park. The city is sprawling and not walkable end to end; drive or take the train between stops, and do not plan long walks after dark.
See and do
Known for
- Gateway Geyser and Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park
- Casino Queen riverfront
- Katherine Dunham Museum
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center
- MetroLink stops into St. Louis
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, Missouri | MetroLink Blue or Red line from any East St. Louis stop, or I-64 across the river | 10–20 min |
| Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site | I-55/I-255 south to Collinsville, about 10 mi | 20–30 min |
| Fairmont City | I-55/I-70 east, about 5 mi | 10–15 min |
| Belleville, Illinois | I-64 east, about 15 mi | 20–30 min |
| Alton, Illinois | I-255/IL-3 north, about 25 mi | 35–45 min |
Sleep
- DraftKings at Casino Queen
- The only hotel in East St. Louis itself, attached to the casino floor at 200 South Front St; steps from the riverfront.
- Downtown St. Louis (across the river)
- 10–15 min by MetroLink or car; the practical base for most visitors.
- Fairmont City and Collinsville
- Motels east of the river, 10–20 min by car; handy for Cahokia Mounds.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the MetroLink station? | Where is the MetroLink station? |
| One ticket, please | One ticket, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Call me a taxi, please | Call me a taxi, please |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Violent crime rates are among the highest in the US; avoid walking at night and stay on lit, busy blocks.
- The city is spread out — a car or MetroLink is needed between sights.
- Some sights are appointment-only or seasonal: confirm before you cross the river.
- Casino hours run late; check the current schedule before a late trip.
East St. Louis has one of the highest violent-crime rates in the US. Do not walk at night, keep to the riverfront and MetroLink stops, and sleep across the river in St. Louis or the Metro East towns.
One and two days
No timed day plan for East St. Louis yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gateway Geyser and Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park
- Casino Queen riverfront
- Katherine Dunham Museum
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center
- MetroLink stops into St. Louis
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Metro Transit St. Louis — MetroLink: www.metrostlouis.org/
- Illinois Office of Tourism: www.enjoyillinois.com/
- St. Louis Lambert International Airport: www.flystl.com/
- Wikivoyage: East St. Louis, revision 5285784 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5285784
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
East St. LouisEast St. Louis, Illinois
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in East St. Louis; consulates are in Chicago and St. Louis hosts several honorary consulates (check).
Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/east-st-louis). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.