Hutchinson to Syracuse is 226.6 miles and takes about 4h 32m via US 50, with a fuel budget near $36 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Kansas, moving across the Great Plains. You'll spend most of your time on US 50, a straightforward route that's ideal for a single day of driving. Consider this an easy cross-state trek with minimal complications. It's a simple, direct path if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
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
113.3 miles from Hutchinson, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 50
217.4 mi
4h 17m
West Illinois Avenue
2.8 mi
3m
West Blanchard Avenue
2 mi
3m
North Main Street
1.5 mi
3m
Blanchard Road Southwest
1.2 mi
1m
Woodie Seat Freeway
0.8 mi
1m
South Mohawk Road
0.2 mi
<1m
West Avenue A
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 50
— 217.4 mi, about 4h 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hutchinson, KS and Syracuse, KS.
1
Start on this road
62 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto East 7th Avenue
0.1 mi·21 sec·East 7th Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·North Main Street
4
Turn right onto West Avenue A
0.2 mi·29 sec·West Avenue A
5
Turn right
0.3 mi·49 sec
6
Continue on Woodie Seat Freeway
0.8 mi·1 min·Woodie Seat Freeway
7
Continue on North Main Street
0.8 mi·1 min·North Main Street
8
Turn right onto West Blanchard Avenue
2.0 mi·3 min·West Blanchard Avenue
9
Continue on Blanchard Road Southwest
1.2 mi·1 min·Blanchard Road Southwest
10
Turn left onto South Mohawk Road
0.2 mi·21 sec·South Mohawk Road
11
Turn right onto US 50; KS 61
2.8 mi·3 min·West Illinois Avenue
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 50
40 mi·45 min·US 50
13
Enter roundabout onto US 50
176 ft·2 sec·US 50
14
Continue on US 50
76 mi·1 hr 27 min·US 50
15
Continue on US 50
47 mi·59 min·US 50
16
Take the exit onto US 50; US 400
0.4 mi·54 sec·US 50; US 400
17
Merge onto US 50; US 83; US 400
22 mi·25 min·US 50; US 83; US 400
Use the straight lane.
18
Continue on US 50; US 400
33 mi·39 min·US 50; US 400
19
Turn left onto Barber Street
139 ft·6 sec·Barber Street
20
Arrive at destination
Barber Street
Trip Plan
Starting your 4h 32m drive from Hutchinson in the morning allows ample time to reach Syracuse before evening. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility to make it a quick transit or a more leisurely experience. Keep an eye on fuel, as the longest stretch without a town is considerable. The $36 fuel cost estimate is helpful for budgeting. Since this is a single-day drive, you can depart at your convenience, but an earlier start is best to avoid driving after dark.
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 113.3 miles from Hutchinson, KS, or about 2h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 217.4 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 50 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 113.3 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 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Syracuse, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hutchinson, 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 Hutchinson, KS
This is one driving day of about 226.6 miles and 4h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Hutchinson, 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 50 for about 217.4 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 and 172.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East 7th Avenue
Turn right onto East 7th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North Main Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in|West Avenue A
Turn right onto West Avenue A
Navigation decision point
4
2.8 mi into trip|~6m in|West Blanchard Avenue
Turn right onto West Blanchard Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
172.2 mi into trip|~3h 27m in|US 50; US 83; US 400
Merge onto US 50; US 83; US 400
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.80 one way
$75.60 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg79 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$41.08
$82.16
premium
$5.26
$46.92
$93.83
diesel
$6.18
$55.12
$110.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 79.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
68
0
$23.79
$10.88
Efficient EV
56.7
0
$19.83
$9.06
EV Truck/SUV
90.6
1
$31.72
$14.50
Gas CO2
79 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Hutchinson, KS
Morning
in Hutchinson on Monday
Local time
7:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
S 8 to 16 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Syracuse, KS
Morning
in Syracuse on Monday
Local time
6:56 AM
MDT
Current temp
41°F
Clear
SSE 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
68°F
Fort Dodge, KS
113 mi in
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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
23 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 32m 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?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 96% of the 226.6 miles on major roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 217.4 miles on US 50, offering consistent cruising. The transition to surface roads occurs at the end of the trip, primarily on West Illinois Avenue and West Blanchard Avenue in Syracuse. Expect a rural feel for the vast majority of your time behind the wheel.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 217.4 mi on US 50.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 50 and West Illinois Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 7th Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 32m drive. You will face about 12 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 (East 7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (West Avenue A): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 217.4 miles on US 50. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (West Avenue A): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Syracuse, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
