Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
10.7 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Emporia, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Olpe, KS
Tien Nguyen
Emporia, KS to Olpe, KS is 10.7 miles and takes about 16 minutes via South Commercial Street, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a very short trip connecting two points within the same region, the Great Plains. Expect a local drive with frequent turns, making it feel more like navigating through town than a traditional highway journey. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick hop, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your day.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Commercial Street | 10 mi | 14m |
| Merchant Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Iowa Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West South Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Attendorn Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 5th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Emporia, KS and Olpe, KS.
Start on West 5th Avenue
Turn right onto Merchant Street
Turn left onto West South Avenue
Turn right onto KS 99
Turn left onto Iowa Street
Turn left onto West Attendorn Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Merchant Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto West South Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto KS 99 / South Commercial Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Iowa Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto West Attendorn Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$1.78 one way
$3.57 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.62 | $1.95 | $3.89 |
| premium | $5.25 | $2.21 | $4.43 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $2.64 | $5.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
| Efficient EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.94 | $0.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Emporia on Friday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Olpe on Friday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is characterized by its "turn-heavy local drive" profile, with no highway driving at all. You'll navigate using main roads like South Commercial Street, Merchant Street, and Iowa Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 10 miles on South Commercial Street. The drive progresses by transitioning between these local thoroughfares, demanding your attention for frequent adjustments.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Merchant Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 16m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Merchant Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (West South Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (KS 99 / South Commercial Street): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
126 ft
Total Descent
73 ft
Highest Point
1,223 ft
~9.2 mi in
Elevation Range
122 ft
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cafe
Near the start, right off the route
Emporia, KS
Visit websiteCafe
Near the start, right off the route
Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-20:00;Sa 08:00-20:00;Su 11:0...
Visit websiteCafe
Near the start, short detour
Emporia, KS
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the start, right off the route
Emporia, KS
Cuisine: sandwich
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Emporia, KS
Cuisine: mexican
Hours: Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Emporia, KS
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Emporia, KS
Cuisine: mexican
Hours: Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Emporia, KS
Cuisine: ramen
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Emporia, KS
Cuisine: chinese
Visit websiteMuseum
Near the start, right off the route
KS
Monument
Near the end, right off the route
Monument
Near the start, right off the route
Memorial
Near the start, right off the route
Railway
Near the start, right off the route
Yes
Near the start, right off the route
Hotel
Near the start, short detour
Emporia
Visit websiteHotel
Near the start, short detour
KS
Visit websiteMotel
Near the start, short detour
Emporia, KS
Hotel
Near the start, short detour
Hotel
Near the start, short detour
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Founded 1857
Emporia is a city in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. It is the county seat of Lyon County and the home of Emporia State University and William Allen White.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 10.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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