Origin
Hays, KS
Evening in Hays on Sunday
Local time
6:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hays, KS to Atchison, KS
Drive Time
4h 30m
Distance
255.1 mi
411 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 17m
★
6 AM
4h 31m
8 AM
4h 57m
10 AM
4h 40m
12 PM
4h 37m
3 PM
4h 41m
5 PM
4h 56m
8 PM
4h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hays, KS
Petr Ganaj
Atchison, KS
Tien Nguyen
Trip Overview
The drive from Hays, KS to Atchison, KS covers 255.1 miles and takes about 4h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Main Street, West 27th Street, North Vine Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.75 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
127.6 miles from Hays, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 15m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 30m drive with frequent turns across 255.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 30m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Hays, KS to Atchison, KS is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West 27th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Vine Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Dwight D | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 75 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 24 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Northeast Sherman Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Main Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hays, KS and Atchison, KS.
1
Start on the route
292 ft
·
27 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left onto Main Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Main Street
3
Continue on Main Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
4
Turn right onto West 27th Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West 27th Street
5
Turn left onto North Vine Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Vine Street
6
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward North Vine Street
344 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Vine Street
7
Exit the roundabout onto North Vine Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Vine Street
8
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward North Vine Street
128 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Vine Street
9
Exit the roundabout onto North Vine Street
341 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Vine Street
10
Continue on North Vine Street
13 ft
·
North Vine Street
11
Take the exit slight right
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
12
Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
115 mi
·
1 hr 55 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
13
Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
75 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
14
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
15
Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
6.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
16
Take the exit slight right toward US 75 North: Gage Boulevard, Holton
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 75 North: Gage Boulevard, Holton
17
Keep slight left to continue on US 75 North: Holton
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 75 North: Holton
18
Take the exit slight right toward US 24 East: Lawrence
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 24 East: Lawrence
19
Merge slight left
6.6 mi
·
8 min
20
Take the exit slight right
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
21
Turn left onto Northeast Sherman Road
29 mi
·
33 min
·
Northeast Sherman Road
22
Continue straight
15 mi
·
16 min
23
Turn left onto South 22nd Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
South 22nd Street
24
Turn right onto Woodlawn Avenue
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Woodlawn Avenue
25
Keep slight right
472 ft
·
9 sec
26
Turn slight right onto Main Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
27
Turn left onto South 10th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South 10th Street
28
Turn right onto Kansas Avenue
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Kansas Avenue
29
Arrive at your destination
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 127.6 miles from Hays, KS, or about 2h 15m into the drive.
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 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.6 miles or 2h 15m 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 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Atchison, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hays, 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 Hays, KS
This is one driving day of about 255.1 miles and 4h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Hays, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 127.6 mi from Hays, KS · 2h 15m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 127.6 miles from Hays, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Atchison, KS
The final approach into Atchison, 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 Atchison, 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
$38.75 one way
$77.49 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
89 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $42.71 | $85.43 |
| premium | $4.80 | $48.16 | $96.32 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $56.67 | $113.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
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 | 76.5 | 0 | $26.79 | $12.24 |
| Efficient EV | 63.8 | 0 | $22.32 | $10.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 102 | 1 | $35.71 | $16.33 |
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
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Atchison, KS
Evening in Atchison on Sunday
Local time
6:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
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
11 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 30m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Hays, KS to Atchison, KS covers 255.1 miles and takes about 4h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Main Street, West 27th Street, North Vine Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 127.6 miles from Hays, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $38.75 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.
This is a straightforward 4h 30m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Hays, KS to Atchison, KS is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Hays, KS to Atchison, KS does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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