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Major city · United States

East St. LouisEast 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.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), Jan–Feb (ice and cold)
Airports
STL · BLV · ALN
Nights
0–1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

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.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about East St. Louis, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • BeerBeer at a bar$5–9
  • Metro or bus rideMetroLink ride$2.50–4
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
  • Budget bedHostel or budget motel bed, a night, per personUS$35
  • Mid-range bedDouble room (St. Louis or Metro East), a night, per roomUS$150
  • High-end bedDouble room (St. Louis or Metro East), a night, per roomUS$280

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$60 · Mid US$120 · High US$220

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Gateway Geyser and Malcolm W. Martin Memorial ParkCasino Queen riverfrontKatherine Dunham MuseumJackie Joyner-Kersee CenterMetroLink stops into St. Louis
Airports
STL St. Louis Lambert International (About 16 mi (26 km) 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.) · ALN St. Louis Regional (About 25 mi (40 km) north; small field, few scheduled flights.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

East St. Louis: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

5°C

−4°C

8 rd

Feb

8°C

−2°C

8 rd

Mar

14°C

3°C

10 rd

Apr

20°C

9°C

11 rd

May

25°C

14°C

11 rd

Jun

30°C

19°C

9 rd

Jul

32°C

22°C

9 rd

Aug

31°C

21°C

8 rd

Sep

27°C

16°C

8 rd

Oct

20°C

9°C

8 rd

Nov

13°C

3°C

9 rd

Dec

7°C

−2°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting 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 & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

St. Louis, Missouri

go

Door to door: 10–20 min

MetroLink Blue or Red line from any East St. Louis stop, or I-64 across the river

Gateway Arch, City Museum and downtown are the main draw; the train avoids bridge traffic.

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

go

Door to door: 20–30 min

I-55/I-255 south to Collinsville, about 10 mi

Large Mississippian earthworks with an interpretive centre; a half-day.

Fairmont City

go

Door to door: 10–15 min

I-55/I-70 east, about 5 mi

Cheap eats and motels just east of the river.

Belleville, Illinois

go

Door to door: 20–30 min

I-64 east, about 15 mi

Walkable old town square and a MetroLink terminus.

Alton, Illinois

caution

Door to door: 35–45 min

I-255/IL-3 north, about 25 mi

Better as a half-day from a St. Louis base than a hop from East St. Louis.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

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.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–100 excl. bed
Mid
$100–180 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room (St. Louis or Metro East)1 × 1 night × US$150US$150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$120US$240
MetroLink day pass, one day2 × US$8US$15
Rideshare across the river, one way1 × US$15US$15
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$45
Trip total≈ US$248 per person per day, bed includedUS$495

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

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

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

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.
  • 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.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

East St. LouisEast St. Louis, Illinois

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in East St. Louis; consulates are in Chicago and St. Louis hosts several honorary consulates (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • 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

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

Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for East St. Louis. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), Jan–Feb (ice and cold) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for STL: last MetroLink Red Line times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park and the riverfront, the 5th & Missouri MetroLink stop, Emerson Park.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Gateway Geyser, Katherine Dunham Museum, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Cross-river fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources