Origin
Shawnee, KS
Night in Shawnee on Saturday
Local time
11:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shawnee, KS to Atchison, KS
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
55.8 mi
90 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shawnee, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Atchison, KS
Tien Nguyen
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick escape within the Great Plains, the 55.8-mile trip from Shawnee to Atchison is an ideal day trip. You can comfortably complete this journey in about 1 hour and 13 minutes, making it a low-commitment outing that fits easily into a single day. Budget roughly $8 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Kansas locations. Since the route remains entirely within the Great Plains, you will experience a consistent regional landscape throughout your travel. This trip is straightforward enough that you won't need to worry about booking overnight accommodations, giving you total flexibility to head out whenever it suits your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 29 | 16.8 mi | 18m |
| 45 Highway | 13.7 mi | 18m |
| Harry Darby Memorial Highway | 11.1 mi | 12m |
| 273 Highway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Southwest 59 Highway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Southwest 45 Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| 47th Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Shawnee Drive | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 29
— 16.8 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shawnee, KS and Atchison, KS.
1
Start on Bond Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Bond Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto 47th Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
47th Street
3
Turn left onto Shawnee Drive
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Shawnee Drive
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 635 North
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 635
6.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Harry Darby Memorial Highway
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 635
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Harry Darby Memorial Highway
Use the slight left lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 635
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Harry Darby Memorial Highway
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 12A
Toward I 29 North, US 71 North: K.C.I. Airport, Saint Joseph
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 29; US 71
10 mi
·
11 min
·
I 29; US 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 29; I 435; US 71
2.7 mi
·
2 min
·
I 29; I 435; US 71
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 29; US 71
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 29; US 71
Toward I 29 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 20
Toward MO 273 North: Tracy, Weston
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto MO 273; MO 371
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
273 Highway
14
Continue on MO 273
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
273 Highway
15
Turn right onto MO 45; MO 273
14 mi
·
18 min
·
45 Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Continue on MO 45; MO 273
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest 45 Highway
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto US 59; MO 273
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest 59 Highway
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on US 59; MO 273
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Amelia Earhart Bridge
19
Turn right onto South 4th Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
South 4th Street
20
Turn left onto Kansas Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Kansas Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
Kansas Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.9 miles from Shawnee, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 31.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 635 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 635 North
6
9.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 635 / Harry Darby Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 635 / Harry Darby Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
9
14 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 29 North, US 71 North: K.C.I. Airport, Saint Joseph
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 12A
Toward I 29 North, US 71 North: K.C.I. Airport,...
6
27.4 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 29; US 71
Keep slight left at fork onto I 29; US 71 toward I 29 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 29 North, US 71 North: Saint Joseph
8
31.2 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward MO 273 North: Tracy, Weston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 20
Toward MO 273 North: Tracy, Weston
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.72 one way
$17.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.58 | $19.16 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.74 | $21.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.32 | $24.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.86 | $2.68 |
| Efficient EV | 14 | 0 | $4.88 | $2.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.3 | 0 | $7.81 | $3.57 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Night in Atchison on Saturday
Local time
11:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Weston, MO
28 mi in
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
18 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 13m 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 mixed drive that transitions between different road types as you head north. You will spend about 30% of your time on highways, utilizing a combination of I-29, 45 Highway, and the Harry Darby Memorial Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 16.8-mile segment on I-29, which offers a brief period of steady cruising. Because the route balances interstate travel with secondary roads, the pace of the drive shifts periodically. It is neither a purely monotonous grind nor a technical backroad trek, providing a balanced experience behind the wheel.
30% 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: 16.8 mi on I 29.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 2.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.8 miles you will encounter 16 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: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.8 miles (I 635 / Harry Darby Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Shawnee, KS and Atchison, KS, road signs point toward Saint Joseph and Weston.
Saint Joseph
14 mi in
|
~19m
Weston
31.2 mi in
|
~39m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 55.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.8 miles on I 29. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Atchison, KS before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 2.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.8 miles (I 635 / Harry Darby Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
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