Kansas City, KS to Goodland, KS is 406.2 miles and takes about 6 hours 55 minutes via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $63 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, starting in Kansas City, Kansas, and ending in Goodland, Kansas. The majority of this route is on surface roads, offering a different pace than a pure interstate drive. With a single recommended day, this is a manageable trip for those looking to traverse a good portion of Kansas without an overnight stay.
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
203.1 miles from Kansas City, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 29m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
255.4 mi
4h 15m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
91.6 mi
1h 34m
US 69
54.3 mi
56m
US 24 Business
1.4 mi
2m
North 7th Street Trafficway
1.3 mi
3m
Cherry Avenue
1 mi
2m
Kansas Turnpike
0.9 mi
1m
East 8th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 255.4 mi, about 4h 15m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~835 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,078
Quietest
2 AM
~72 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Kansas City, KS and Goodland, KS.
1
Start on this road
149 ft·13 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Armstrong Avenue
282 ft·14 sec·Armstrong Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 69
1.3 mi·3 min·North 7th Street Trafficway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp onto US 69
54 mi·56 min·US 69
Toward I 70 West, US 24 West, US 40 West, US 69 South: TopekaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
0.9 mi·1 min·Kansas Turnpike
Toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, SalinaUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
Since this 6 hour 55 minute drive can easily be completed in a single day, consider leaving Kansas City, KS, in the morning to give yourself ample time. The route involves a significant portion on surface roads, so be mindful of varying speed limits and potential traffic through towns. Your estimated fuel cost is around $63, so ensure you have enough gas before departing, especially since the longest stretch without exiting a highway is 255.4 miles. There's one recommended stop, so plan around that to break up the drive and refuel if necessary.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 203.1 miles from Kansas City, KS, or about 3h 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 255.4 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 89 miles or 1h 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 203.1 miles or 3h 29m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Goodland, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kansas 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 Kansas City, KS
This is one driving day of about 406.2 miles and 6h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 89 miles from Kansas 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 Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 255.4 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 403.6 — 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|Armstrong Avenue
Turn right onto Armstrong Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|US 69 / North 7th Street Trafficway
Turn right onto US 69 / North 7th Street Trafficway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|US 69
Take the ramp onto US 69 toward I 70 West, US 24 West, US 40 West, US 69 South: Topeka
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 70 West, US 24 West, US 40 West, US 69...
8
55.6 mi into trip|~59m in|I 70 / Kansas Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 / Kansas Turnpike toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
5
403.6 mi into trip|~6h 50m in|US 24 Business
Take the exit onto US 24 Business toward US 24 Business, Goodland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 24 Business, Goodland
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$59.99 one way
$119.97 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg142 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$66.22
$132.45
premium
$4.72
$75.42
$150.84
diesel
$4.80
$76.70
$153.40
Estimated Tolls: $0.05
Kansas Turnpike
(0.9 mi)$0.05
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
$60
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 142.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $43 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
121.9
1
$42.65
$19.50
Efficient EV
101.6
1
$35.54
$16.25
EV Truck/SUV
162.5
2
$56.87
$26.00
Gas CO2
142 kg
EV CO2
48 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Kansas City, KS
Evening
in Kansas City on Saturday
Local time
8:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Clear
S 5 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Goodland, KS
Evening
in Goodland on Saturday
Local time
7:21 PM
MDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Clear
S 10 to 15 mph4% 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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
11 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
6h 55m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The path to equality has been anything but smooth. It's taken courage and dedication by everyday people coming together for a common goal to carry the country toward true equality. Parents, teachers,...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 14% of this 406.2-mile drive on highways like the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The longest stretch on a highway is 255.4 miles, also on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. After this highway segment, you'll transition to mostly surface roads for the remainder of the trip. Expect a mix of rural cruising and navigating through smaller towns on US 69.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 255.4 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Armstrong Avenue.
Driving Effort5/10
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 406.2 miles you will encounter 10 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 (Armstrong Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 69 / North 7th Street Trafficway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (US 69): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
3,685 ft844 ft
Total Climb
2,881 ft
Total Descent
60 ft
Highest Point
3,685 ft
~406.2 mi in
Elevation Range
2,841 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Kansas City, KS to Goodland, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Salina along the way.
Salina
55.6 mi in|~59m|via I 70
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 55m. Total distance: 406.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 55m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 255.4 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.05 in tolls one way, starting with Kansas Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 40 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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Goodland, 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 40 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Armstrong Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 69 / North 7th Street Trafficway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (US 69): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.9 hours each way, a round trip means 13.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Goodland, KS before the return drive.
