Origin
Leavenworth, KS
Late night in Leavenworth on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Leavenworth, KS to Atchison, KS
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
25.1 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Leavenworth, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Atchison, KS
Tien Nguyen
Trip Overview
Connecting Leavenworth to Atchison, this 25.1-mile journey across the Kansas Great Plains is a quick trip that takes about 32 minutes to complete. Because the duration is so brief, you can easily handle this as a simple day trip without needing to book an overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via Spruce Street, South 20th Street, and the Santa Fe Trail to make your way between these two historic riverfront towns. Budgeting approximately $4 for fuel should be sufficient to cover your transit costs for the entire route. Since there are no mandatory stops required to complete the drive, you have complete flexibility in your schedule. This straightforward path is ideal for travelers looking for a low-stress connection within the region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 73 Highway | 11.3 mi | 12m |
| Amelia Earhart Drive | 9.9 mi | 11m |
| Spruce Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South 20th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South 10th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Kansas Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Santa Fe Trail | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 73 Highway
— 11.3 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leavenworth, KS and Atchison, KS.
1
Start on this road
277 ft
·
22 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto KS 92
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Spruce Street
3
Turn right onto South 20th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South 20th Street
4
Continue on CR 14
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Santa Fe Trail
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
6
Merge onto US 73; K-7
9.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Amelia Earhart Drive
7
Continue on US 73; K-7
11 mi
·
12 min
·
US 73 Highway
8
Continue on US 73; K-7
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
South 10th Street
9
Turn right onto Kansas Avenue
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Kansas Avenue
10
Arrive at destination
Kansas Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 24.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
KS 92 / Spruce Street
At end of road, turn right onto KS 92 / Spruce Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
South 20th Street
Turn right onto South 20th Street
Navigation decision point
3
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 73; K-7 / Amelia Earhart Drive
Merge onto US 73; K-7 / Amelia Earhart Drive
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
24.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
Kansas Avenue
Turn right onto Kansas Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.92 one way
$7.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.31 | $8.62 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.83 | $9.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.54 | $11.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.64 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Atchison, KS
Late night in Atchison on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
32m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul, as this entire route consists of surface streets and secondary roads with zero highway share. You won't encounter any long, monotonous stretches of pavement here, as the navigation requires your full attention through various turns. The character of the road is distinctly local, keeping you off the fast-paced highways and firmly within the rural plains landscape. Behind the wheel, you will notice a consistent shift in scenery as you transition from one Great Plains community to the next. It is a technical, winding experience that feels much more hands-on than a standard cruise down a major artery.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on US 73 Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near KS 92 / Spruce Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Leavenworth, KS to Atchison, KS is easy. At 32m with 45% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (KS 92 / Spruce Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (South 20th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Leavenworth, KS
Full guide →Leavenworth is a city in Eastern Kansas. Leavenworth, the "First City in Kansas", established in 1854, is located on the west banks of the Missouri River and became nationally known as the "jumping off point" for the opening of the West. Buffalo Bill Cody spent part of his youth here and later worked in the area as a Pony Express rider and Army scout. Cody's parents are buried in Leavenworth.
Arriving in Atchison, KS
Full guide →Atchison is one of the Midwest's most historic and charming towns, in Eastern Kansas. Atchison has a population of 11021.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 25.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.3 miles on US 73 Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (KS 92 / Spruce Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (South 20th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Atchison, KS before heading back.
How this page is built
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Atchison, KS
More trips to Atchison, KS
Explore more options from Leavenworth, KS or browse trips ending in Atchison, KS.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse KS road trips.