Leawood, KS to Osborne, KS is 263.2 miles and takes about 5h via KS 18, Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, and KS 10, with a fuel budget near $40 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across Kansas. With a recommended one-day duration and a manageable 5-hour travel time, it's a practical option for a quick transit. The route is primarily highway, making it efficient for covering distance. Consider this an easy cross-state hop, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B 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
131.6 miles from Leawood, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 23m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
KS 18
99.7 mi
1h 56m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
75.9 mi
1h 18m
KS 10
36.7 mi
40m
US 281
22.1 mi
28m
Kansas Turnpike
14.3 mi
14m
I 435
8.3 mi
9m
Milford Lake Road South
2.3 mi
3m
State Line Road
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
KS 18
— 99.7 mi, about 1h 56m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,096 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,425
Quietest
2 AM
~79 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Leawood, KS and Osborne, KS.
1
Start on West 90th Street
0.1 mi·33 sec·West 90th Street
2
Turn right onto Lee Boulevard
0.7 mi·1 min·Lee Boulevard
3
Turn left onto West 95th Street
0.4 mi·53 sec·West 95th Street
4
Turn right onto State Line Road
1.3 mi·2 min·State Line Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·33 sec
6
Merge onto I 435; US 50
8.3 mi·9 min·I 435; US 50
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·27 sec
Exit 1BToward KS 10 West: LawrenceUse the slight right lane.
8
Continue on KS 10
37 mi·40 min·KS 10
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
10
Merge onto I 70
13 mi·13 min·Kansas Turnpike
11
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.
Given the 5-hour duration, leaving Leawood in the morning should get you to Osborne with plenty of daylight to spare. Plan for one stop to break up the 263.2 miles; the longest stretch without a major road change is nearly 100 miles on KS 18, so timing your break before or after that segment makes sense. The estimated fuel cost is around $40, so be sure to factor that into your budget. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer highway portions, as services can be spread out in rural Kansas.
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 131.6 miles from Leawood, KS, or about 2h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.7 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 58 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 131.6 miles or 2h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Osborne, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Leawood, 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 Leawood, KS
This is one driving day of about 263.2 miles and 5h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Leawood, 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 KS 18 for about 99.7 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 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 177.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.7 mi into trip|~6m in|I 435; US 50
Merge onto I 435; US 50
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11 mi into trip|~16m in
Take the exit toward KS 10 West: Lawrence
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1B
Toward KS 10 West: Lawrence
5
48.1 mi into trip|~56m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
8
62 mi into trip|~1h 11m 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
177.2 mi into trip|~3h 17m in|KS 18
At end of road, turn left onto KS 18
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.90 one way
$87.81 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg92 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$47.72
$95.44
premium
$5.26
$54.49
$108.99
diesel
$6.18
$64.03
$128.06
Estimated Tolls: $0.72
Kansas Turnpike
(14.3 mi)$0.72
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
$44
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79
0
$27.64
$12.63
Efficient EV
65.8
0
$23.03
$10.53
EV Truck/SUV
105.3
1
$36.85
$16.84
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 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 17, 2026
Origin
Leawood, KS
Morning
in Leawood on Sunday
Local time
6:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Patchy Frost
N 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 1:31AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Topeka KS
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 10:30PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS
Destination
Osborne, KS
Morning
in Osborne on Sunday
Local time
6:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Widespread Frost then Sunny
SSW 5 to 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 1:31AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Topeka KS
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 10:30PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS
83°F
Reno, KS
132 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
27 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
5h 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.
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 69% of this 263.2-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 99.7 miles along KS 18. After the highway segments, you'll transition to surface roads for the remainder of the trip. Expect a good amount of rural cruising, with fewer exits and a more open feel once you leave the main highway corridors.
69% 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: 99.7 mi on KS 18.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on KS 18 and Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in near I 435; US 50.
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 263.2 miles you will encounter 17 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 2.7 miles (I 435; US 50): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,669 ft830 ft
Total Climb
1,076 ft
Total Descent
469 ft
Highest Point
1,669 ft
~244.4 mi in
Elevation Range
839 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 Leawood, KS to Osborne, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Salina along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h. Total distance: 263.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 99.7 miles on KS 18. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.72 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 9 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 Osborne, 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 9 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles (I 435; US 50): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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 5.0 hours each way, a round trip means 10.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Osborne, KS before the return drive.
