Riverside, KS to Derby, KS is 201.7 miles and takes about 4 hours 21 minutes via Sycamore Street and KS 14, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward trip across Kansas. With a recommended one-day drive, you'll experience a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel. Consider this route if you're looking for a relatively short, efficient connection between these two Kansas points without extensive planning.
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
100.9 miles from Riverside, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 20m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Sycamore Street
62.4 mi
1h 13m
KS 14
41.7 mi
45m
North Broadway Avenue
29.1 mi
34m
East Santa Fe Avenue
20.3 mi
23m
10th Street
12.4 mi
17m
US 283
11.3 mi
16m
I 135
7.4 mi
9m
South Southeast Boulevard
7.3 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
Sycamore Street
— 62.4 mi, about 1h 13m
Traffic on I-135
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 7 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,269 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~179 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 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 Riverside, KS and Derby, KS.
1
Start on this road
5.0 mi·19 min·this road
2
Continue on this road
1.0 mi·3 min·this road
3
Turn right onto US 283
11 mi·16 min·US 283
4
Turn right onto KS 96
62 mi·1 hr 13 min·Sycamore Street
5
Turn left onto US 56; KS 96; KS 156
12 mi·17 min·10th Street
6
Continue on US 56; KS 96
20 mi·23 min·East Santa Fe Avenue
7
Turn right onto KS 14; KS 96
1.0 mi·2 min·South Grand Avenue
8
Continue on KS 14; KS 96
29 mi·34 min·North Broadway Avenue
9
Continue on US 50; KS 14; KS 61; KS 96
1.4 mi·1 min·US 50; KS 14; KS 61; KS 96
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward KS 96
11
Turn right onto KS 14; KS 96
42 mi·45 min·KS 14; KS 96
Toward WichitaUse the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto KS 96
0.3 mi·23 sec·KS 96
Exit 16AToward I 135 South, KS 96 East, US 81 South, KS 15 South
13
Merge onto I 135; US 81; KS 15
7.4 mi·9 min·I 135; US 81; KS 15
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 3BToward Pawnee AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto East Pawnee Street
0.3 mi·29 sec·East Pawnee Street
16
Turn left onto South Southeast Boulevard
7.3 mi·11 min·South Southeast Boulevard
17
Continue on KS 15
0.4 mi·44 sec·North Baltimore Avenue
18
Turn left onto East Main Street
271 ft·17 sec·East Main Street
19
Turn left
121 ft·8 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a drive time under 5 hours, you can comfortably complete this trip in a single day. Aim to depart in the morning to allow for flexibility and potential stops. The route has one suggested stop, so plan your breaks accordingly. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the longer 62.4-mile stretch on Sycamore Street, as services might be spaced out. The $31 fuel cost estimate is a good baseline for budgeting.
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 100.9 miles from Riverside, KS, or about 2h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62.4 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 44 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.9 miles or 2h 20m 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 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Derby, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Riverside, 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 Riverside, KS
This is one driving day of about 201.7 miles and 4h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Riverside, 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 Sycamore Street for about 62.4 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 144.1 and 193.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
144.1 mi into trip|~3h 12m in|KS 14; KS 96
Turn right onto KS 14; KS 96 toward Wichita
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Wichita
6
185.8 mi into trip|~3h 58m in|KS 96
Take the exit onto KS 96 toward I 135 South, KS 96 East, US 81 South, KS 15 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 16A
Toward I 135 South, KS 96 East, US 81 South, KS...
5
186.1 mi into trip|~3h 59m in|I 135; US 81; KS 15
Merge onto I 135; US 81; KS 15
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
193.5 mi into trip|~4h 8m in
Take the exit toward Pawnee Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 3B
Toward Pawnee Avenue
5
193.7 mi into trip|~4h 8m in|East Pawnee Street
Turn right onto East Pawnee Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.79 one way
$59.57 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$32.88
$65.77
premium
$4.72
$37.45
$74.90
diesel
$4.80
$38.08
$76.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.5
0
$21.18
$9.68
Efficient EV
50.4
0
$17.65
$8.07
EV Truck/SUV
80.7
1
$28.24
$12.91
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Riverside, KS
Late night
in Riverside on Sunday
Local time
1:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 2 to 7 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 8:57PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Hastings NE
Destination
Derby, KS
Late night
in Derby on Sunday
Local time
1:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 7 mph11% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 8:57PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Hastings NE
72°F
Lyons, KS
101 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
5 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 21m 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?
This trip includes 31% highway driving, with the longest continuous stretch on Sycamore Street measuring 62.4 miles. You'll transition from highway to surface roads, so be prepared for a change in speed and traffic density. Expect a mixed driving experience with periods of more open cruising followed by sections that may feel more local.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 62.4 mi on Sycamore Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 144.1 miles in near KS 14; KS 96.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 21m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 144.1 miles (KS 14; KS 96): Lane positioning matters here; at 185.8 miles (KS 96): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 186.1 miles (I 135; US 81; KS 15): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
2,222 ft1,293 ft
Total Climb
47 ft
Total Descent
944 ft
Highest Point
2,222 ft
~14.4 mi in
Elevation Range
929 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 Riverside, KS to Derby, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Wichita along the way.
Wichita
144.1 mi in|~3h 12m|via KS 14; KS 96
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 21m. Total distance: 201.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 62.4 miles on Sycamore Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
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 144.1 miles (KS 14; KS 96): Lane positioning matters here; at 185.8 miles (KS 96): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 186.1 miles (I 135; US 81; KS 15): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Derby, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
