Origin
Atchison, KS
Evening in Atchison on Thursday
Local time
7:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Atchison, KS to Shawnee, KS
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
55.5 mi
89 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 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Atchison, KS
Tien Nguyen
Shawnee, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Atchison, KS to Shawnee, KS covers 55.5 miles and takes about 1h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 29, 45 Highway, Harry Darby Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.8 miles on I 29. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.68 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 55.5 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 drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Atchison, KS to Shawnee, KS covers 55.5 miles and takes about 1h 13m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 29 is the longest continuous segment at about 16.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 23.7 miles in near MO 273 / 273 Highway.
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 55.5 miles you will encounter 15 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 23.7 miles (MO 273 / 273 Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles (I 29; US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 41.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
23.7 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
MO 273 / 273 Highway
At end of road, turn left onto MO 273 / 273 Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
30.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
I 29; US 71
Keep slight left at fork onto I 29; US 71 toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
7
41.4 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward I 635 South: Kansas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 3B
Toward I 635 South: Kansas
7
52.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward Shawnee Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1C
Toward Shawnee Drive
7
52.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 29 | 16.8 mi | 18m |
| 45 Highway | 13.7 mi | 18m |
| Harry Darby Memorial Highway | 11.2 mi | 12m |
| 273 Highway | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Southwest 59 Highway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Southwest 45 Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| 47th Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Shawnee Drive | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 29
— 16.8 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atchison, KS and Shawnee, KS.
1
Start on Kansas Avenue
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Kansas Avenue
2
Turn right onto North 4th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
North 4th Street
3
Turn left onto US 59
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Amelia Earhart Bridge
4
Continue on US 59; MO 273
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest 59 Highway
5
Turn right onto MO 45; MO 273
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest 45 Highway
6
Continue on MO 45; MO 273
14 mi
·
18 min
·
45 Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn left onto MO 273
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
273 Highway
Use the left lane.
8
At end of road, turn left onto MO 273
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
273 Highway
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
10
Merge onto I 29; US 71
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 29; US 71
11
Merge onto I 29; I 435; US 71
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 29; I 435; US 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 29; US 71
11 mi
·
11 min
·
I 29; US 71
Toward I 29 South, US 71 South: Kansas City
Use the slight right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 3B
Toward I 635 South: Kansas
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 635
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Harry Darby Memorial Highway
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 635
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Harry Darby Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 1C
Toward Shawnee Drive
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
136 ft
·
3 sec
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right onto Shawnee Drive
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Shawnee Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn right onto 47th Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
47th Street
20
Turn left onto Bond Street
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Bond Street
21
Arrive at destination
Bond Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.7 mi from Atchison, KS · 38m into the drive
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 27.7 miles from Atchison, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Shawnee, KS
The final approach into Shawnee, KS usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.68 one way
$17.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.53 | $19.05 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.68 | $21.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.25 | $24.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.83 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.77 | $3.55 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Shawnee, KS
Evening in Shawnee on Thursday
Local time
7:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Atchison, KS to Shawnee, KS covers 55.5 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 29, 45 Highway, Harry Darby Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.7 miles from Atchison, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.68 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.5 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 23.7 miles (MO 273 / 273 Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles (I 29; US 71): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 41.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Atchison, KS to Shawnee, KS does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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