Trip from Great Bend, KS to Leawood, KS

Drive Time

4h 38m

Distance

255.3 mi

411 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$39

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Photo: Спиридон Варфаламеев

Trip Overview

The drive from Great Bend, KS to Leawood, KS covers 255.3 miles and takes about 4h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, KS 156 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 90.3 miles on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.78 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

127.7 miles from Great Bend, KS

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 18m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 38m drive with frequent turns across 255.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 90.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 281 / Main Street.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 255.3 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 (US 281 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 192.1 miles (I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 206.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 281 / Main Street

Turn left onto US 281 / Main Street

Navigation decision point

192.1 mi into trip | ~3h 25m in | I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway toward I-70 East, Kansas City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I-70 East, Kansas City

206.9 mi into trip | ~3h 40m in

Take the exit toward KS 10: Lecompton, Lawrence

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 197 Toward KS 10: Lecompton, Lawrence

243.8 mi into trip | ~4h 21m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 435 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 435 East

252.3 mi into trip | ~4h 31m in

Take the exit toward State Line Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 75B Toward State Line Road

Towns Along This Route

Between Great Bend, KS and Leawood, KS, road signs point toward Salina, Kansas City and Lawrence.

Salina

51.9 mi in | ~1h 2m

Kansas City

192.1 mi in | ~3h 25m | via I 70

Lawrence

206.9 mi in | ~3h 40m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway	90.3 mi	1h 32m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway	50.5 mi	50m
KS 156	47.9 mi	55m
South Lawrence Trafficway	36.5 mi	40m
Kansas Turnpike	14 mi	14m
I 435	8.2 mi	9m
10th Street	3.8 mi	5m
State Line Road	1.5 mi	3m

Longest stretch: Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway — 90.3 mi, about 1h 32m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Great Bend, KS and Leawood, KS.

Start on Lakin Avenue

94 ft · 9 sec · Lakin Avenue

Turn left onto US 281

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Main Street

Turn left onto US 56; KS 96; KS 156

3.8 mi · 5 min · 10th Street

Turn left onto KS 156

48 mi · 55 min · KS 156

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Toward I-70 East, Salina

Merge onto I 70; US 40

49 mi · 49 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Continue on I 70; US 40

75 mi · 1 hr 14 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 70; US 40

1.1 mi · 1 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Continue on I 70; US 40

15 mi · 17 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

Use the none / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 70

0.8 mi · 52 sec · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

Toward I-70 East, Kansas City

Continue on I 70

14 mi · 14 min · Kansas Turnpike

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min

Exit 197 Toward KS 10: Lecompton, Lawrence

Turn right onto KS 10

36 mi · 40 min · South Lawrence Trafficway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 36 sec

Toward I 435 East Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto I 435

8.2 mi · 9 min · I 435

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Exit 75B Toward State Line Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn left onto State Line Road

1.5 mi · 3 min · State Line Road

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto West 95th Street

0.4 mi · 57 sec · West 95th Street

Turn right onto Lee Boulevard

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lee Boulevard

Turn left onto West 90th Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · West 90th Street

Arrive at destination

West 90th Street

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 127.7 miles from Great Bend, KS, or about 2h 18m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 90.3 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 30m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 127.7 miles or 2h 18m 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 43m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Leawood, KS than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Great Bend, 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 Great Bend, KS

This is one driving day of about 255.3 miles and 4h 38m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Great Bend, 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 Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway for about 90.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 127.7 mi from Great Bend, KS · 2h 18m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Valley Falls, KS

128 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

Lincoln, KS

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fairbury, NE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 127.7 miles from Great Bend, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 90.3 miles.

Arriving in Leawood, KS

The final approach into Leawood, 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 Leawood, KS.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$38.78 one way

$77.55 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 89 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$42.75	$85.50
premium	$4.80	$48.20	$96.39
diesel	$5.64	$56.72	$113.44

Estimated Tolls: $0.70

Kansas Turnpike (14 mi) $0.70

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

$39

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$64–$89

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 89.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	76.6	0	$26.81	$12.25
Efficient EV	63.8	0	$22.34	$10.21
EV Truck/SUV	102.1	1	$35.74	$16.34

Gas CO2

89 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

Local time and weather at both ends of the drive

Current conditions at both ends of the drive. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Great Bend, KS

Afternoon in Great Bend on Saturday

Local time

4:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Forecast unavailable right now

CDT Live forecast

Destination

Leawood, KS

Afternoon in Leawood on Saturday

Local time

4:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Forecast unavailable right now

CDT Live forecast

Along the Route

44°F

Valley Falls, KS

128 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

15 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

4h 38m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Great Bend, KS to Leawood, KS covers 255.3 miles and takes about 4h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, KS 156. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 127.7 miles from Great Bend, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $38.78 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.