The drive from Hutchinson, KS to Madison, KS covers 131.7 miles and takes about 2h 47m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Limestone Road, Ken Kennedy Freeway, US 50 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.9 miles on Limestone Road.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.59 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
65.8 miles from Hutchinson, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 18m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 47m. Total distance: 131.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The drive from Hutchinson, KS to Madison, KS covers 131.7 miles and takes about 2h 47m, 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 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Limestone Road is the longest continuous segment at about 35.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 8th Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 47m drive. You will face about 18 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Maple Street): Navigation decision point; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East 8th Avenue
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|North Maple Street
Turn left onto North Maple Street
Navigation decision point
5
30.4 mi into trip|~37m in
Take the exit toward US 56, McPherson, Marion
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 56, McPherson, Marion
6
108.2 mi into trip|~2h 8m in|US 50
Enter roundabout onto US 50 toward US 50 East, Emporia
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 50 East, Emporia
5
131.6 mi into trip|~2h 47m in|KS 58 / West Lincoln Street
Turn left onto KS 58 / West Lincoln Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hutchinson, KS and Madison, KS, road signs point toward Mcpherson, Marion and Emporia.
Mcpherson
30.4 mi in|~37m
Marion
30.4 mi in|~37m
Emporia
108.2 mi in|~2h 8m|via US 50
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Limestone Road
35.9 mi
41m
Ken Kennedy Freeway
26.6 mi
29m
US 50
26 mi
31m
KS 150
16.7 mi
19m
South Commercial Street
10.4 mi
14m
Road M
8.6 mi
15m
I 135
1.7 mi
1m
West South Avenue
1.5 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Limestone Road
— 35.9 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hutchinson, KS and Madison, KS.
1
Start on this road
347 ft·27 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
0.2 mi·46 sec·East 8th Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Maple Street
0.2 mi·36 sec·North Maple Street
4
Turn right onto East 11th Avenue
1.3 mi·3 min·East 11th Avenue
5
Turn left onto KS 61
27 mi·29 min·Ken Kennedy Freeway
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·1 min
7
Merge onto I 135; US 81
1.7 mi·1 min·I 135; US 81
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward US 56, McPherson, Marion
9
Turn right onto US 56
0.2 mi·16 sec·East Kansas Avenue
10
Continue on US 56
36 mi·41 min·Limestone Road
11
Enter roundabout onto KS 150
186 ft·3 sec·KS 150
12
Continue on KS 150
17 mi·19 min·KS 150
13
Turn left onto US 50
25 mi·29 min·US 50
14
Enter roundabout onto US 50
194 ft·2 sec·US 50
Toward US 50 East, Emporia
15
Continue on US 50
1.3 mi·2 min·US 50
Toward US 50 East, Emporia
16
Turn right onto Prairie Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Prairie Street
17
Turn left onto West South Avenue
1.5 mi·3 min·West South Avenue
18
Turn right onto KS 99
10 mi·14 min·South Commercial Street
19
Continue on KS 99
8.6 mi·15 min·Road M
20
Turn left onto KS 58
0.9 mi·1 min·West Madison
21
Turn right onto KS 58
0.2 mi·26 sec·4th Street
22
Turn left onto KS 58
419 ft·10 sec·West Lincoln Street
23
Turn right onto 3rd Street
71 ft·3 sec·3rd Street
24
Arrive at destination
3rd Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 65.8 miles from Hutchinson, KS, or about 1h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35.9 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 29 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.8 miles or 1h 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 2h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Madison, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hutchinson, 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 Hutchinson, KS
This is one driving day of about 131.7 miles and 2h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Hutchinson, 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 Limestone Road for about 35.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 65.8 mi from Hutchinson, KS
· 1h 18m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.59 one way
$41.18 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg46 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$22.61
$45.21
premium
$4.89
$25.34
$50.69
diesel
$5.61
$29.08
$58.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
39.5
0
$13.83
$6.32
Efficient EV
32.9
0
$11.52
$5.27
EV Truck/SUV
52.7
0
$18.44
$8.43
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Hutchinson, KS
Night
in Hutchinson on Friday
Local time
11:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Madison, KS
Night
in Madison on Friday
Local time
11:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Delavan, KS
66 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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 47m 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 Hutchinson, KS to Madison, KS covers 131.7 miles and takes about 2h 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Limestone Road, Ken Kennedy Freeway, US 50. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 65.8 miles from Hutchinson, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.59 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.
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 straightforward 2h 47m drive. You will face about 18 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Maple Street): Navigation decision point; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Hutchinson, KS and Madison, KS, road signs point toward Mcpherson, Marion and Emporia.
