Shawnee, KS to Attica, KS is 252.2 miles and takes about 5h 1m via I 35 and KS 2, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across Kansas. With 90% of the route on highways, it's designed for efficient travel. Plan for a single-day trip, keeping your fuel costs around the estimated $39 for this 252.2-mile stretch.
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
126.1 miles from Shawnee, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 13m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
176.9 mi
3h 1m
KS 2
17.7 mi
31m
State Highway 42
17.3 mi
30m
US 160
13.5 mi
20m
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
11.4 mi
14m
West Southwest Boulevard
7.7 mi
9m
I 235
1.6 mi
1m
Johnson Drive
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 176.9 mi, about 3h 1m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~751 veh/hr typical
· worst 979
Quietest
2 AM
~68 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 52 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 Shawnee, KS and Attica, KS.
1
Start on Bond Street
0.2 mi·46 sec·Bond Street
2
Turn left onto West 49th Terrace
0.3 mi·1 min·West 49th Terrace
3
At end of road, turn right onto Nieman Road
1.1 mi·2 min·Nieman Road
4
Turn left onto Johnson Drive
1.2 mi·2 min·Johnson Drive
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·16 sec
Toward I 35 South: WichitaUse the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 35
2.8 mi·3 min·I 35
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on I 35; US 56; US 169
4.2 mi·4 min·I 35; US 56; US 169
Toward I 35 South, US 56 West, US 169 South: WichitaUse the straight lane.
8
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.
9
Continue on I 35; US 50; US 59
133 mi·2 hr 13 min·I 35; US 50; US 59
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 53AToward US 54, US 400
11
Merge onto US 54; US 400
11 mi·14 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 235 SouthUse the right lane.
13
Merge onto I 235
1.6 mi·1 min·I 235
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 5Toward KS 42
15
Turn right onto KS 42
0.5 mi·55 sec·West Southwest Boulevard
16
Continue on KS 42
1.1 mi·1 min·West Cessna Boulevard
17
Continue on KS 42
7.2 mi·9 min·West Southwest Boulevard
18
Continue on KS 42
17 mi·30 min·State Highway 42
19
Turn left onto KS 2
18 mi·31 min·KS 2
20
At end of road, turn right onto US 160; KS 2
1.1 mi·1 min·East 14th Street
21
Turn left onto US 160; KS 2
3.0 mi·4 min·US 160; KS 2
22
Turn right onto US 160
10 mi·15 min·US 160
23
Turn left onto North Main Street
116 ft·3 sec·North Main Street
24
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 1m duration, leaving Shawnee in the morning will easily get you to Attica before evening. You'll only need one stop, so consider breaking up the 176.9-mile stretch on I 35 to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as services can be spread out on the state highways later in the route. The estimated $39 fuel cost is based on the 252.2 miles, so factor that into your budget.
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 126.1 miles from Shawnee, KS, or about 2h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 176.9 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 55 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 126.1 miles or 2h 13m 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Attica, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Shawnee, 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 Shawnee, KS
This is one driving day of about 252.2 miles and 5h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Shawnee, 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 176.9 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 191.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|West 49th Terrace
Turn left onto West 49th Terrace
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|Nieman Road
At end of road, turn right onto Nieman Road
Navigation decision point
7
2.8 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 South: Wichita
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 35 South: Wichita
6
179.8 mi into trip|~3h 7m in
Take the exit toward US 54, US 400
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 53A
Toward US 54, US 400
6
191.7 mi into trip|~3h 23m in
Take the exit toward I 235 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 235 South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.24 one way
$74.49 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg88 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$41.12
$82.23
premium
$4.72
$46.83
$93.65
diesel
$4.80
$47.62
$95.24
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 88.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
75.7
0
$26.48
$12.11
Efficient EV
63.1
0
$22.07
$10.09
EV Truck/SUV
100.9
1
$35.31
$16.14
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
30 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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Shawnee, KS
Late night
in Shawnee on Sunday
Local time
1:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Clear
SW 8 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Attica, KS
Late night
in Attica on Sunday
Local time
1:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 6 mph1% chanceLive forecast
95°F
Eureka, KS
126 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
2 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
5h 1m 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?
You'll spend about 90% of your 5h 1m drive on highways, which means you'll cover a lot of ground quickly. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 176.9 miles on I 35. After that, you'll transition to surface roads, specifically KS 2 and State Highway 42, for the final part of the trip. Expect a rural cruising feel for most of this route.
90% 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: 176.9 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and KS 2. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near West 49th Terrace.
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 252.2 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 0.2 miles (West 49th Terrace): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Nieman Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 1m. Total distance: 252.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 176.9 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 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 Attica, 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 11 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (West 49th Terrace): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Nieman Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
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 Attica, KS before the return drive.
