Origin
Shawnee, KS
Evening in Shawnee on Friday
Local time
5:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shawnee, KS to Washington, KS
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 31m
Distance
182.7 mi
294 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 19m
★
6 AM
3h 31m
8 AM
3h 56m
10 AM
3h 40m
12 PM
3h 37m
3 PM
3h 41m
5 PM
3h 54m
8 PM
3h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shawnee, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Washington, KS
Townsend Walton
Trip Overview
The drive from Shawnee, KS to Washington, KS covers 182.7 miles and takes about 3h 31m 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, Kansas Turnpike, Tuttle Creek Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 52.4 miles on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.56 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
91.4 miles from Shawnee, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 41m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 31m. Total distance: 182.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Shawnee, KS to Washington, KS covers 182.7 miles and takes about 3h 31m, 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 34 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 52.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 182.7 miles you will encounter 19 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles (I 70; US 24; US 40 / Kansas Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
4.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Turn left toward I 435 North
Navigation decision point
Toward I 435 North
8
9.8 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Topeka, Kansas Turnpike
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12B
Toward I 70 West: Topeka, Kansas Turnpike
5
10.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 70; US 24; US 40 / Kansas Turnpike
Merge onto I 70; US 24; US 40 / Kansas Turnpike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
54 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
I 70 / Kansas Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 / Kansas Turnpike toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
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-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
5
107.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 57m in
Take the exit toward Manhattan, Council Grove
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Manhattan, Council Grove
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Shawnee, KS and Washington, KS, road signs point toward Kansas Turnpike, Salina, Manhattan and Council Grove.
Kansas Turnpike
9.8 mi in
|
~17m
Salina
54 mi in
|
~1h 2m
|
via I 70
Manhattan
107.4 mi in
|
~1h 57m
Council Grove
107.4 mi in
|
~1h 57m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway | 52.4 mi | 54m |
| Kansas Turnpike | 44.9 mi | 45m |
| Tuttle Creek Boulevard | 33.9 mi | 41m |
| K-9 | 10.1 mi | 11m |
| South Colorado | 8.5 mi | 10m |
| KS 177 | 8.5 mi | 10m |
| Quivira Road | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| I 435 | 4.8 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
— 52.4 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shawnee, KS and Washington, KS.
1
Start on Bond Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Bond Street
2
Turn right onto West 49th Terrace
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
West 49th Terrace
3
Continue on Garnett Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Garnett Street
4
Turn right onto West 51st Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West 51st Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto Quivira Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Quivira Drive
6
Continue on Quivira Lane
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Quivira Lane
7
Turn right
54 ft
·
7 sec
8
Turn left onto Holliday Drive
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Holliday Drive
9
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 435 North
10
Merge onto I 435
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
I 435
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 12B
Toward I 70 West: Topeka, Kansas Turnpike
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 70; US 24; US 40
44 mi
·
44 min
·
Kansas Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Kansas Turnpike
Toward I-70 West, US 40 West: Topeka, Salina
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 70
52 mi
·
54 min
·
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Toward I-70 West
Use the straight lane.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward Manhattan, Council Grove
16
Turn right onto KS 177
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
KS 177
17
Take the exit onto KS 177; KS 18
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
KS 177; KS 18
Toward KS 18, KS 177, Tuttle Creek Boulevard, Fort Riley Boulevard
18
Continue on KS 177
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Fort Riley Boulevard
19
Continue on Tuttle Creek Boulevard
5.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Tuttle Creek Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
20
Enter roundabout onto US 24
232 ft
·
2 sec
·
Tuttle Creek Boulevard
21
Continue on US 24
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Tuttle Creek Boulevard
22
Enter roundabout onto US 24
161 ft
·
1 sec
·
Tuttle Creek Boulevard
23
Continue on US 24
8.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Tuttle Creek Boulevard
24
Continue on US 77
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Tuttle Creek Boulevard
25
Continue on US 77
8.5 mi
·
10 min
·
South Colorado
26
Turn left onto KS 9
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
West Main Street
27
Continue on KS 9
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Unicorn Road
28
Continue on KS 9
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
9th Road
29
Continue on K-9; K-148
10 mi
·
11 min
·
K-9; K-148
30
Turn right onto K-15
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Quivira Road
31
Continue on K-15
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
B Street
32
Turn left onto East 3rd Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
East 3rd Street
33
Turn right onto C Street
218 ft
·
9 sec
·
C Street
34
Arrive at destination
C 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 91.4 miles from Shawnee, KS, or about 1h 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 52.4 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 40 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 91.4 miles or 1h 41m 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 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Washington, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Shawnee, 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 Shawnee, KS
This is one driving day of about 182.7 miles and 3h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Shawnee, 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 52.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 91.4 mi from Shawnee, KS · 1h 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
91 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 91.4 miles from Shawnee, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Washington, KS
The final approach into Washington, 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 Washington, 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
$28.56 one way
$57.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
64 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $31.36 | $62.72 |
| premium | $4.89 | $35.16 | $70.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $40.34 | $80.68 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.25
Kansas Turnpike
(44.9 mi)
$2.25
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
$29
Tolls
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 63.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 54.8 | 0 | $19.18 | $8.77 |
| Efficient EV | 45.7 | 0 | $15.99 | $7.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 73.1 | 0 | $25.58 | $11.69 |
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
21 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
Washington, KS
Evening in Washington on Friday
Local time
5:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Rossville, KS
91 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
3h 31m 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 Shawnee, KS to Washington, KS covers 182.7 miles and takes about 3h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Kansas Turnpike, Tuttle Creek Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 91.4 miles from Shawnee, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.56 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 182.7 miles you will encounter 19 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.1 miles (I 70; US 24; US 40 / Kansas Turnpike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Shawnee, KS and Washington, KS, road signs point toward Kansas Turnpike, Salina, Manhattan and Council Grove.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Washington, KS
More trips to Washington, KS
Explore more options from Shawnee, KS or browse trips ending in Washington, KS.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse KS road trips.