Origin
Reading, KS
Evening in Reading on Friday
Local time
5:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Reading, KS to Emporia, KS
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
17.8 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Reading, KS
SHVETS production
Emporia, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Reading, KS to Emporia, KS is 17.8 miles and takes about 32 minutes via Burlingame Road, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Great Plains region of Kansas, offering a straightforward local connection. Given its brief duration, this trip is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing ample time for exploration at your destination. You'll navigate primarily local roads, so don't expect an interstate experience. This route is perfect for a quick hop between two points without a significant time commitment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 17.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This route is a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll be making frequent adjustments rather than cruising on a highway. With 0% highway share, expect a consistent pace dictated by local road conditions and traffic signals. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.8 miles on Burlingame Road. The drive progresses through a series of local roads, including Road 250 and East 12th Avenue as you approach Emporia. Prepare for a more engaged driving experience, where paying attention to turns is key.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Burlingame Road is the longest continuous segment at about 7.8 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 1st Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 32m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (KS 170 / Road 250): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 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
|
1st Street
Turn right onto 1st Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Franklin Street
Turn left onto Franklin Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
KS 170 / Road 250
Turn left onto KS 170 / Road 250
Navigation decision point
5
17.7 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
Merchant Street
Turn left onto Merchant Street
Navigation decision point
5
17.8 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
West 5th Avenue
Turn right onto West 5th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Burlingame Road | 7.8 mi | 13m |
| Road 250 | 7.6 mi | 13m |
| East 12th Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Road R | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Commercial Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Franklin Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Merchant Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 6th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Burlingame Road
— 7.8 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Reading, KS and Emporia, KS.
1
Start on this road
92 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto 1st Street
197 ft
·
13 sec
·
1st Street
3
Turn left onto Franklin Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Franklin Street
4
Turn left onto KS 170
7.6 mi
·
13 min
·
Road 250
5
Turn left onto KS 99
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Road R
6
Continue on KS 99
7.8 mi
·
13 min
·
Burlingame Road
7
At end of road, turn right onto East 12th Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East 12th Avenue
8
Turn left onto KS 99
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Commercial Street
9
Turn right onto US 50
368 ft
·
13 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
10
Turn left onto Merchant Street
440 ft
·
14 sec
·
Merchant Street
11
Turn right onto West 5th Avenue
59 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 5th Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
West 5th Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.78 one way
$5.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.06 | $6.11 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.43 | $6.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.93 | $7.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.87 | $0.85 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.56 | $0.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Emporia, KS
Evening in Emporia on Friday
Local time
5:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°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
1 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
32m 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 Reading, KS to Emporia, KS covers 17.8 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Burlingame Road, Road 250, East 12th Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.9 miles from Reading, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.78 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 is a straightforward 32m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Franklin Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (KS 170 / Road 250): Navigation decision point.
The route from Reading, KS to Emporia, KS does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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