Meade, KS to Leawood, KS is 361.3 miles and takes about 6h 44m via I 35 and Kansas Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $57 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route takes you across the heart of the Great Plains, moving from western Kansas to the Kansas City metropolitan area. The majority of the drive is on well-maintained highways, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. Plan for a mixed highway and surface road experience as you approach your destination.
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
180.7 miles from Meade, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 35m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
95.5 mi
1h 38m
Kansas Turnpike
74.7 mi
1h 14m
The Yellow Brick Road
61.7 mi
1h 10m
Cannonball Stageline
60.2 mi
1h 8m
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
49.7 mi
57m
US 50
7.5 mi
8m
West 1st Street
3.1 mi
6m
D Avenue
2.4 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 95.5 mi, about 1h 38m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~761 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,009
Quietest
2 AM
~68 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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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 Meade, KS and Leawood, KS.
1
Start on US 54; US 160
0.6 mi·42 sec·West Carthage Street
2
Continue on US 54; US 160
21 mi·23 min·The Yellow Brick Road
3
Continue on US 54
0.7 mi·48 sec·West Front Street
4
Continue on US 54
41 mi·46 min·The Yellow Brick Road
5
Continue on US 54; US 400
1.3 mi·2 min·West Kansas Avenue
6
Continue on US 54; US 400
29 mi·33 min·Cannonball Stageline
7
Continue on US 54; US 400
3.1 mi·6 min·West 1st Street
8
Continue on US 54; US 400
31 mi·35 min·Cannonball Stageline
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 54; US 400
2.4 mi·5 min·D Avenue
10
Continue on US 54; US 400; KS 14
50 mi·57 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
448 ft·10 sec
Toward I 35: Kansas Turnpike Toll, Kansas City, Oklahoma City
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
13
Merge onto I 35
75 mi·1 hr 14 min·Kansas Turnpike
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
95 mi·1 hr 38 min·I 35
Use the straight lane.
15
Take the exit onto US 50
7.5 mi·8 min·US 50
Exit 222AToward I 435 East, US 50 EastUse the slight right lane.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Exit 75BToward State Line RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn left onto State Line Road
1.5 mi·3 min·State Line Road
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto West 95th Street
0.4 mi·57 sec·West 95th Street
19
Turn right onto Lee Boulevard
0.7 mi·1 min·Lee Boulevard
20
Turn left onto West 90th Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·West 90th Street
21
Arrive at destination
West 90th Street
Trip Plan
Starting your drive in Meade, KS, early in the morning is recommended to maximize daylight hours. With a total duration of around 6 hours and 44 minutes, this trip is easily manageable in one day. While there's only one recommended stop, you might want to take short breaks every couple of hours to stay alert. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before entering longer stretches like the 95.5-mile segment on I 35, as services can be spaced out in some parts of Kansas. The fuel cost estimate is around $57, so budget accordingly.
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 180.7 miles from Meade, KS, or about 3h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 95.5 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 79 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 180.7 miles or 3h 35m 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 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Leawood, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Meade, 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 Meade, KS
This is one driving day of about 361.3 miles and 6h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 79 miles from Meade, 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 I 35 for about 95.5 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 179.7 and 358.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
179.7 mi into trip|~3h 33m in
Take the exit toward I 35: Kansas Turnpike Toll, Kansas City, Oklahoma City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35: Kansas Turnpike Toll, Kansas City,...
4
179.7 mi into trip|~3h 33m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
255.4 mi into trip|~4h 49m in|I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
350.8 mi into trip|~6h 28m in|US 50
Take the exit onto US 50 toward I 435 East, US 50 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 222A
Toward I 435 East, US 50 East
7
358.3 mi into trip|~6h 37m in
Take the exit toward State Line Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 75B
Toward State Line Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$56.02 one way
$112.03 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg126 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$61.42
$122.84
premium
$4.93
$70.10
$140.20
diesel
$5.60
$79.64
$159.28
Estimated Tolls: $3.74
Kansas Turnpike
(74.7 mi)$3.74
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
$56
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 126.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
108.4
1
$37.94
$17.34
Efficient EV
90.3
1
$31.61
$14.45
EV Truck/SUV
144.5
1
$50.58
$23.12
Gas CO2
126 kg
EV CO2
42 kg (67% 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 Aug 26, 2026
Origin
Meade, KS
Night
in Meade on Tuesday
Local time
10:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
ENE 3 to 8 mph73% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Leawood, KS
Night
in Leawood on Tuesday
Local time
10:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Mostly Cloudy
NE 3 mph14% chanceLive forecast
73°F
Andover, KS
181 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
6 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
6h 44m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about half of your time on highways, with 49% of the route being high-speed driving. The longest continuous stretch on I 35 is 95.5 miles, offering a good opportunity for steady cruising. Expect a mix of highway travel and surface roads, especially as you get closer to Leawood. This means you'll encounter more varied traffic and exit patterns in the latter half of the drive.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 95.5 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 179.7 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 361.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 179.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 179.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 255.4 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,572 ft942 ft
Total Climb
205 ft
Total Descent
1,759 ft
Highest Point
2,572 ft
~25.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,630 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Meade, KS and Leawood, KS, road signs point toward Kansas City and Oklahoma City.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 44m. Total distance: 361.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 44m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 95.5 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.74 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 12 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 Leawood, 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 12 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 179.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 179.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 255.4 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.7 hours each way, a round trip means 13.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Leawood, KS before the return drive.
