Origin
Junction City, KS
Late night in Junction City on Tuesday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 8m
Distance
106.8 mi
172 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Junction City, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Andover, KS
Tien Nguyen
Junction City, KS to Andover, KS is 106.8 miles and takes about 2h 8m via US 77 and Kansas Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward trip across Kansas. It's a predominantly highway-focused route, ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without many detours. With a total duration under three hours, this journey is easily accomplished in a single day, making it a convenient option for a quick transition between these two Kansas locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.4 miles from Junction City, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 5m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 77 | 82 mi | 1h 35m |
| Kansas Turnpike | 18.4 mi | 18m |
| North Washington Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| East 21st Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| North Andover Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| KS 18 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| US 40 Business | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Junction City, KS and Andover, KS.
Start on North Jefferson Street
Turn left onto West 6th Street
Turn right onto US 40 Business
Enter roundabout onto US 40 Business
Continue on US 40 Business
Merge onto I 70; US 40; KS 18
Take the exit onto KS 18
Keep slight left at fork onto KS 18
Turn right onto US 77
Enter roundabout onto US 77
Continue on US 77
Enter roundabout onto US 77
Continue on US 77
Turn left
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 35
Take the exit
Turn right
Turn left onto East 21st Street
Turn left onto North Andover Road
Turn right onto Harrison Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Arrive at destination
Given this is a relatively short, 2-hour drive, you have the flexibility to depart at your convenience, perhaps after a leisurely morning in Junction City. Since the longest stretch without a significant change in road is 82 miles, plan for a single fuel and rest stop midway if needed, though you'll likely reach Andover well before needing to refuel. Keep an eye on the fuel cost estimate of $17 to manage your budget. The straightforward highway nature of this route means you can focus on reaching your destination efficiently without worrying about complex navigation or frequent speed changes.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 23 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.4 miles or 1h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Andover, KS than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Junction 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 Junction City, KS
This is one driving day of about 106.8 miles and 2h 8m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
53 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.
A short stop after about 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 53.4 miles from Junction City, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 77 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 82 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 58.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto West 6th Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit onto KS 18 toward US 77, KS 18 West, Marysville, Herington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto KS 18 toward US 77, KS 18 West, Marysville, Herington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto US 77 toward US 77, KS 18 West: Marysville, Herington
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Enter roundabout onto US 77 toward US 77 South: El Dorado
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Regular Gas
$16.70 one way
$33.39 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $18.33 | $36.67 |
| premium | $4.89 | $20.55 | $41.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $23.58 | $47.16 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.92
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 32 | 0 | $11.21 | $5.13 |
| Efficient EV | 26.7 | 0 | $9.34 | $4.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 42.7 | 0 | $14.95 | $6.84 |
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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 Junction City on Tuesday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Andover on Tuesday
Local time
5:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
46°F
Hillsboro, KS
53 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
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
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.
This route is overwhelmingly a highway-focused drive, with 95% of the journey taking place on major roadways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on US 77, including an uninterrupted stretch of 82 miles, before transitioning to the Kansas Turnpike and finally North Washington Street. Expect consistent speeds and minimal traffic interruptions, characteristic of driving on major highways across the Great Plains. The road primarily consists of well-maintained, high-speed corridors designed for efficient travel.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 77 and Kansas Turnpike. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 6th Street.
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 106.8 miles you will encounter 19 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: near the start (West 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (KS 18): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles (KS 18): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Junction City is the seat of Geary County, in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. It is a small city of around 23,000 people.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 8m. Total distance: 106.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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