Origin
Derby, KS
Afternoon in Derby on Monday
Local time
2:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Derby, KS to Holton, KS
Drive Time
3h 6m
Distance
175.3 mi
282 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$27
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 55m
★
6 AM
3h 7m
8 AM
3h 30m
10 AM
3h 15m
12 PM
3h 13m
3 PM
3h 16m
5 PM
3h 29m
8 PM
3h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Derby, KS
Tien Nguyen
Holton, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Derby, KS to Holton, KS covers 175.3 miles and takes about 3h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Kansas Turnpike, US 75, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 131.9 miles on Kansas Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.63 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
87.6 miles from Derby, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 31m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 3h 6m highway drive covering 175.3 miles, with most of the trip on Kansas Turnpike and US 75. The longest continuous stretch is about 131.9 miles on Kansas Turnpike.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Kansas Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 131.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Kansas Turnpike and US 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Main Street.
Route Complexity
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 175.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Main Street
Turn right onto East Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
9
5.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35 North: El Dorado, Kansas City, Kansas Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North: El Dorado, Kansas City, Kans...
5
138 mi into trip
|
~2h 21m in
Take the exit toward I 470 West, US 75: Topeka, Salina
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 470 West, US 75: Topeka, Salina
7
146.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 33m in
|
US 75
Keep slight left at fork onto US 75 toward US 75 North: Holton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 75 North: Holton
Towns Along This Route
On the drive from Derby, KS to Holton, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Salina along the way.
Salina
138 mi in
|
~2h 21m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas Turnpike | 131.9 mi | 2h 11m |
| US 75 | 28.2 mi | 31m |
| Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| South Southeast Boulevard | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| West 4th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Southwest Wanamaker Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Baltimore Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Kansas Turnpike
— 131.9 mi, about 2h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Derby, KS and Holton, KS.
1
Start on this road
121 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East Main Street
271 ft
·
13 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Turn right onto KS 15
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
North Baltimore Avenue
4
Continue on KS 15
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
South Southeast Boulevard
5
Turn right onto Turnpike Drive
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Turnpike Drive
6
Take the ramp
524 ft
·
12 sec
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 35 North: El Dorado, Kansas City, Kansas Turnpike
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 35
82 mi
·
1 hr 21 min
·
Kansas Turnpike
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 335
50 mi
·
50 min
·
Kansas Turnpike
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 470 West, US 75: Topeka, Salina
11
Continue on I 470
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward Wanamaker Road, Huntoon Street
13
Keep slight right at fork
162 ft
·
5 sec
14
Turn straight onto Southwest Wanamaker Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Wanamaker Road
15
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 70 East: Kansas City
16
Merge onto I 70; US 40; US 75; KS 4
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
17
Take the exit onto US 75
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
US 75
Toward US 75 North: Gage Boulevard, Holton
18
Keep slight left at fork onto US 75
28 mi
·
30 min
·
US 75
Toward US 75 North: Holton
Use the slight left lane.
19
Turn right onto KS 16; KS 116
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 4th Street
20
Turn left onto New York Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
New York Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
New York Avenue
Trip Plan
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 87.6 miles from Derby, KS, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 131.9 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 80 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 87.6 miles or 1h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Holton, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Derby, 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 Derby, KS
This is one driving day of about 175.3 miles and 3h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Derby, 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 Kansas Turnpike for about 131.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 87.6 mi from Derby, KS · 1h 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
88 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 87.6 miles from Derby, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Kansas Turnpike if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 131.9 miles.
Arriving in Holton, KS
The final approach into Holton, KS usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Holton, KS.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.63 one way
$53.25 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
61 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $29.35 | $58.70 |
| premium | $4.80 | $33.09 | $66.19 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $38.95 | $77.89 |
Estimated Tolls: $6.60
Kansas Turnpike
(131.9 mi)
$6.60
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 52.6 | 0 | $18.41 | $8.41 |
| Efficient EV | 43.8 | 0 | $15.34 | $7.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 70.1 | 0 | $24.54 | $11.22 |
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Destination
Holton, KS
Afternoon in Holton on Monday
Local time
2:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
44°F
Valley Falls, KS
88 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
34 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
3h 6m 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 Derby, KS to Holton, KS covers 175.3 miles and takes about 3h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Kansas Turnpike, US 75, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 87.6 miles from Derby, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.63 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 175.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Derby, KS to Holton, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Salina along the way.
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