Origin
Atchison, KS
Late night in Atchison on Tuesday
Local time
3:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Atchison, KS to Kansas City, KS
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
47.1 mi
76 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Atchison, KS
Tien Nguyen
Trip Overview
Connecting Atchison to Kansas City, this 47.1-mile journey is a straightforward transit across the Great Plains, typically taking about 1 hour and 4 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You can expect to spend approximately $7 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly option for your travel plans. Navigating between these two Kansas locations is simple, as the path remains entirely within the same state. Whether you are heading to the city for business or a quick getaway, the direct nature of this drive allows for significant schedule flexibility.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 29 | 16.8 mi | 18m |
| 45 Highway | 13.7 mi | 18m |
| 273 Highway | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| US 69 | 3.6 mi | 8m |
| Southwest 59 Highway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Harry Darby Memorial Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Southwest 45 Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Amelia Earhart Bridge | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 29
— 16.8 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atchison, KS and Kansas City, KS.
1
Start on Kansas Avenue
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Kansas Avenue
2
Turn right onto North 4th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
North 4th Street
3
Turn left onto US 59
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Amelia Earhart Bridge
4
Continue on US 59; MO 273
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest 59 Highway
5
Turn right onto MO 45; MO 273
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest 45 Highway
6
Continue on MO 45; MO 273
14 mi
·
18 min
·
45 Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn left onto MO 273
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
273 Highway
Use the left lane.
8
At end of road, turn left onto MO 273
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
273 Highway
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
10
Merge onto I 29; US 71
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 29; US 71
11
Merge onto I 29; I 435; US 71
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 29; I 435; US 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 29; US 71
11 mi
·
11 min
·
I 29; US 71
Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
Use the slight right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 3B
Toward I 635 South: Kansas
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 635
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Harry Darby Memorial Highway
15
Keep slight left at fork onto US 69
3.6 mi
·
8 min
·
US 69
Exit 10
Toward US 69 South: Fairfax District Way
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
16
Turn right onto Armstrong Avenue
282 ft
·
17 sec
·
Armstrong Avenue
17
Turn left
149 ft
·
10 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from Atchison, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 43.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 4th Street
Turn right onto North 4th Street
Navigation decision point
7
23.7 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
MO 273 / 273 Highway
At end of road, turn left onto MO 273 / 273 Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
30.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
I 29; US 71
Keep slight left at fork onto I 29; US 71 toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
7
41.4 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward I 635 South: Kansas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 3B
Toward I 635 South: Kansas
8
43.4 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
US 69
Keep slight left at fork onto US 69 toward US 69 South: Fairfax District Way
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 10
Toward US 69 South: Fairfax District Way
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.36 one way
$14.73 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.08 | $16.17 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.06 | $18.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.40 | $20.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.95 | $2.26 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.59 | $3.01 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (63% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Kansas City, KS
Late night in Kansas City on Tuesday
Local time
3:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 4m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience that transitions between regional highways and interstate travel. You will spend roughly 43% of your time on highways, utilizing a combination of I-29, Highway 45, and Highway 273. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 16.8-mile segment on I-29, which provides a steady rhythm to the middle of your trip. As you move away from Atchison, the road feel shifts, balancing local highway navigation with the faster pace of the interstate. This combination keeps the drive engaging without becoming overly demanding on the driver.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.8 mi on I 29.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North 4th Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.1 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 23.7 miles (MO 273 / 273 Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles (I 29; US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,064 ft
768 ft
Total Climb
511 ft
Total Descent
461 ft
Highest Point
1,064 ft
~37 mi in
Elevation Range
296 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Atchison, KS
Full guide →Atchison is one of the Midwest's most historic and charming towns, in Eastern Kansas. Atchison has a population of 11021.
Arriving in Kansas City, KS
Full guide →Kansas City is a city in the state of Kansas, in the United States of America, and a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City, Kansas, is often referred to as KCK, and Kansas City, Missouri, as KCMO. The two Kansas Cities form the core of the wider Kansas City metropolitan area.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 47.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.8 miles on I 29. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Kansas City, KS before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 23.7 miles (MO 273 / 273 Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles (I 29; US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kansas City, KS before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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