Garden City, KS to Derby, KS is 215.7 miles and takes about 4h 27m via US 400 and US 50, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within the Great Plains region for its entirety, traversing Kansas from west to east. The route is predominantly highway driving, making it a straightforward transit rather than a destination-filled excursion. You'll want to plan for a full tank before you leave Garden City as services can be spread out in this part of the state. Consider this a practical way to move between these two points without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
107.8 miles from Garden City, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 400
145.7 mi
2h 55m
US 50
47.3 mi
57m
I 235
6.4 mi
7m
West Trail Street
4.4 mi
7m
South Southeast Boulevard
3.9 mi
5m
East 47th Street South
2 mi
3m
East Fulton Street
1.9 mi
2m
West Wyatt Earp Boulevard
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 400
— 145.7 mi, about 2h 55m
Traffic on I-235
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~2,998 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~134 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
22.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 97 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Garden City, KS and Derby, KS.
1
Start on West Walnut Street
58 ft·5 sec·West Walnut Street
2
Turn right onto US 50 Business; US 83 Business
0.4 mi·51 sec·North Main Street
3
Turn left onto US 50 Business
1.9 mi·2 min·East Fulton Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on US 50; US 400
45 mi·54 min·US 50; US 400
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on US 50; US 400
2.0 mi·2 min·US 50; US 400
6
Continue on Wyatt Earp Boulevard
0.8 mi·58 sec·Wyatt Earp Boulevard
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on West Wyatt Earp Boulevard
1.0 mi·2 min·West Wyatt Earp Boulevard
8
Turn right onto North 14th Avenue
515 ft·15 sec·North 14th Avenue
9
Turn left onto West Trail Street
4.4 mi·7 min·West Trail Street
10
Continue on US 400
146 mi·2 hr 55 min·US 400
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·46 sec
Toward I 235 SouthUse the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 235
6.4 mi·7 min·I 235
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 135 South, I 35: Kansas Turnpike
14
Merge onto I 135; US 81
211 ft·3 sec·I 135; US 81
15
Take the exit onto US 81
0.3 mi·34 sec·US 81
Exit 1AToward US 81: 47th StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn left onto US 81
2.0 mi·3 min·East 47th Street South
17
Turn right onto KS 15
3.9 mi·5 min·South Southeast Boulevard
18
Continue on KS 15
0.4 mi·44 sec·North Baltimore Avenue
19
Turn left onto East Main Street
271 ft·17 sec·East Main Street
20
Turn left
121 ft·8 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 27m drive time, departing in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight. This 215.7-mile route is manageable in a single day, so you can be flexible with your departure time. However, it's wise to fill up your fuel tank in Garden City, as services may be less frequent along US 400. With only one recommended stop, plan it strategically either for a break or to top off fuel if needed. The $34 fuel estimate suggests a budget-conscious trip, so keep an eye on your gauge as you cover the 145.7-mile segment on US 400.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 107.8 miles from Garden City, KS, or about 2h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 145.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 47 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 107.8 miles or 2h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Derby, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Garden City, KS so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Garden City, KS
This is one driving day of about 215.7 miles and 4h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Garden City, KS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 400 for about 145.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 209 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|US 50 Business / East Fulton Street
Turn left onto US 50 Business / East Fulton Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
201.7 mi into trip|~4h 7m in
Take the exit toward I 235 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 235 South
5
202.1 mi into trip|~4h 8m in|I 235
Merge onto I 235
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
208.4 mi into trip|~4h 15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 135 South, I 35: Kansas Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 135 South, I 35: Kansas Turnpike
8
209 mi into trip|~4h 16m in|US 81
Take the exit onto US 81 toward US 81: 47th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward US 81: 47th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.98 one way
$71.96 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$39.11
$78.21
premium
$5.26
$44.66
$89.32
diesel
$6.18
$52.47
$104.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
EV Charging Along Route
4 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
Wichita, KS - Maple Street - Tesla Supercharger
Wichita, KS
Tesla
12 DCFC
Wichita, KS - Tesla Supercharger
Wichita, KS
Tesla
8 DCFC
Lewis Chevrolet of Dodge City - DCFC
Dodge City, KS
Blink Network
2 DCFC
HATCHETT FRONT LOT
Wichita, KS
ChargePoint Network
1 DCFC
Tesla: 2
Blink Network: 1
ChargePoint Network: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64.7
0
$22.65
$10.35
Efficient EV
53.9
0
$18.87
$8.63
EV Truck/SUV
86.3
1
$30.20
$13.80
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Garden City, KS
Morning
in Garden City on Monday
Local time
8:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Partly Cloudy
SSE 10 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Derby, KS
Morning
in Derby on Monday
Local time
8:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Partly Cloudy
SSE 8 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 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
4h 27m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on highways for 93% of this 215.7-mile trip, with the longest continuous stretch on US 400 covering 145.7 miles. This means you'll experience mostly rural cruising with fewer exits for significant periods. The transition to surface roads will occur as you approach your destination, offering a change of pace after extended highway travel. Expect minimal urban merging until you get closer to the Wichita metro area.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 145.7 mi on US 400.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 400 and US 50. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near US 50 Business / East Fulton Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 215.7 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 0.4 miles (US 50 Business / East Fulton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 201.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 202.1 miles (I 235): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 27m. Total distance: 215.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 145.7 miles on US 400. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Derby, KS before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 6 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (US 50 Business / East Fulton Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 201.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 202.1 miles (I 235): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Derby, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
