The drive from Syracuse, KS to Leawood, KS covers 429.7 miles and takes about 8h 11m behind the wheel.
It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on KS 156, Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Avenue A for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 166.3 miles on KS 156.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $67.18 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
214.8 miles from Syracuse, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 21m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Solo Traveler
8h 11m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Syracuse, KS to Leawood, KS covers 429.7 miles and takes about 8h 11m, 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 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
KS 156 is the longest continuous segment at about 166.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 53.1 miles in near KS 156.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 429.7 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: at 53.1 miles (KS 156): Lane positioning matters here; at 366.5 miles (I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 381.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 22 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
53.1 mi into trip|~1h 3m in|KS 156
Turn left onto KS 156
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
366.5 mi into trip|~6h 58m 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
6
381.2 mi into trip|~7h 13m 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
7
418.1 mi into trip|~7h 54m 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
7
426.6 mi into trip|~8h 4m 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 Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Syracuse, KS and Leawood, KS, road signs point toward Salina, Kansas City and Lawrence.
Salina
226.2 mi in|~4h 35m
Kansas City
366.5 mi in|~6h 58m|via I 70
Lawrence
381.2 mi in|~7h 13m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
KS 156
166.3 mi
3h 18m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
90.3 mi
1h 32m
Avenue A
52.2 mi
1h 1m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
50.5 mi
50m
South Lawrence Trafficway
36.5 mi
40m
Kansas Turnpike
14 mi
14m
I 435
8.2 mi
9m
10th Street
3.8 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
KS 156
— 166.3 mi, about 3h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Syracuse, KS and Leawood, KS.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The path to equality has been anything but smooth. It's taken courage and dedication by everyday people coming together for a common goal to carry the country toward true equality. Parents, teachers,...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 355.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$67.18 one way
$134.36 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg150 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$73.76
$147.52
premium
$4.89
$82.69
$165.38
diesel
$5.61
$94.87
$189.74
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
$67
Tolls
$1
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$198–$308
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 150.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
2 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: sparse
IONNA Charging Station
Abilene, Kansas
Other
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Abilene, Kansas
EV Connect
1 DCFC
Other: 1
EV Connect: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $45 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
128.9
1
$45.12
$20.63
Efficient EV
107.4
1
$37.60
$17.19
EV Truck/SUV
171.9
2
$60.16
$27.50
Gas CO2
150 kg
EV CO2
50 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Syracuse, KS
Night
in Syracuse on Thursday
Local time
9:54 PM
MDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Leawood, KS
Night
in Leawood on Thursday
Local time
10:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
30 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
8h 11m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Syracuse, KS to Leawood, KS covers 429.7 miles and takes about 8h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are KS 156, Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, Avenue A. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 215 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 214.8 miles from Syracuse, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $67.18 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 429.7 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 53.1 miles (KS 156): Lane positioning matters here; at 366.5 miles (I 70 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 381.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Syracuse, KS and Leawood, KS, road signs point toward Salina, Kansas City and Lawrence.
