Traveling from Overland Park to Arkansas City covers 219.2 miles across the Kansas Great Plains. You can expect a drive time of approximately 4 hours and 8 minutes, making this a manageable single-day journey. With an estimated fuel cost of $33, it is a budget-friendly trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Since the entire route stays within Kansas, you will experience a consistent regional feel throughout your travel. This highway-focused path is ideal if you are looking to get from point A to point B efficiently without needing to plan for multiple days on the road.
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
109.6 miles from Overland Park, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
149 mi
2h 32m
Walnut Street
30.4 mi
37m
North Main Street
13.3 mi
18m
Main Street
10.4 mi
14m
US 54
7.9 mi
10m
Walnut Valley Green Way
3.4 mi
4m
West 87th Street
1.5 mi
2m
Santa Fe Drive
1.1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 149 mi, about 2h 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Overland Park, KS and Arkansas City, KS.
1
Start on this road
134 ft·13 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto West 81st Street
232 ft·16 sec·West 81st Street
3
Turn left onto Overland Park Drive
267 ft·12 sec·Overland Park Drive
4
Turn right onto Valley View Drive
0.1 mi·29 sec·Valley View Drive
5
Turn right onto Newton Street
515 ft·28 sec·Newton Street
6
Turn left onto Santa Fe Drive
1.1 mi·2 min·Santa Fe Drive
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Continue on West 87th Street
1.5 mi·2 min·West 87th Street
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·50 sec
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 35; US 56; US 169
2.8 mi·3 min·I 35; US 56; US 169
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on I 35; US 50; US 56; US 169
37 mi·39 min·I 35; US 50; US 56; US 169
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on I 35; US 50; US 59
109 mi·1 hr 49 min·I 35; US 50; US 59
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward US 77: El Dorado
13
At end of road, turn left onto US 77
13 mi·18 min·North Main Street
14
Take the exit onto US 54; US 77
7.9 mi·10 min·US 54; US 77
15
Turn left onto US 77
30 mi·37 min·Walnut Street
16
Continue on US 77; KS 15
10 mi·14 min·Main Street
17
Turn left onto US 77
2.4 mi·2 min·Walnut Valley Green Way
18
Enter roundabout onto US 77; US 166
193 ft·3 sec·Walnut Valley Green Way
19
Continue on US 77; US 166
1.0 mi·1 min·Walnut Valley Green Way
20
Turn right onto East Chestnut Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·East Chestnut Avenue
21
Turn left onto North C Street
443 ft·14 sec·North C Street
22
Turn right onto East Central Avenue
0.2 mi·30 sec·East Central Avenue
23
Turn left
120 ft·8 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Planning for this 4-hour and 8-minute drive is simple, as you only need to account for one significant stop to break up the journey. Given the heavy reliance on I-35, try to avoid peak commuting hours to ensure a smoother flow of traffic. Having $33 set aside for fuel is a safe baseline, but keep in mind that local road segments at the end of your trip may influence your final arrival time. Because this is a relatively short haul, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits your schedule best, though mid-morning starts often provide the most comfortable visibility for the drive.
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 109.6 miles from Overland Park, KS, or about 1h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 149 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 48 miles or 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 109.6 miles or 1h 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arkansas City, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Overland Park, 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 Overland Park, KS
This is one driving day of about 219.2 miles and 4h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Overland Park, 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 149 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 0.1 and 219 — 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|Overland Park Drive
Turn left onto Overland Park Drive
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Newton Street
Turn right onto Newton Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|Santa Fe Drive
Turn left onto Santa Fe Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
3.4 mi into trip|~7m in|I 35; US 56; US 169
Merge onto I 35; US 56; US 169
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
219 mi into trip|~4h 7m in|East Central Avenue
Turn right onto East Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.54 one way
$65.09 round trip
$3.77/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.25
$36.70
$73.41
premium
$4.65
$40.16
$80.33
diesel
$5.30
$45.77
$91.55
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.7 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65.8
0
$23.02
$10.52
Efficient EV
54.8
0
$19.18
$8.77
EV Truck/SUV
87.7
1
$30.69
$14.03
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Overland Park, KS
Night
in Overland Park on Saturday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Arkansas City, KS
Night
in Arkansas City on Saturday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Eureka, KS
110 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
4 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
4h 8m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a straightforward, highway-focused experience as you navigate this 219.2-mile stretch. About 72% of your journey is spent on major thoroughfares, anchored primarily by I-35. You will settle into a rhythm during the longest uninterrupted stretch, which spans 149 miles along the interstate before you transition onto Walnut Street and North Main Street. While the road is designed for speed and efficiency, the transition from high-speed interstate travel to local surface streets in Arkansas City provides a clear change in pace as you reach your destination.
72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 149 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Walnut Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Overland Park Drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 8m drive. You will face about 17 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Overland Park Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Newton Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Santa Fe Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 8m. Total distance: 219.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 149 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Overland Park Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Newton Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Santa Fe Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Arkansas City, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
