How far is Denver, CO from Kansas City, MO?

The driving distance from Denver, CO to Kansas City, MO is about 603.2 miles (970.8 km), with a travel time of about 10h 18m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 556.9 miles (896.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 20h 37m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
603.23 mi
10h 18m
Flight
556.87 mi
896.2 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Denver.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
556.87 mi
Kilometers
896.2 km
Flight Time
01h 07m

Driving Distance

Road route
603.23 mi
Kilometers
970.81 km
Drive Time
10h 18m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 10h 18m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kansas City
Sun, Nov 15, 10:40 PM CST
Return by in Denver
Mon, Nov 16, 7:59 AM MST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Denver
2026-11-15T11:21
Arrive Kansas City
Sun, Nov 15, 9:40 PM MST
Route Timing
10h 18m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
5:19 PM to 6:49 PM CST

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
3:22 PM MST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Denver
8:00 PM MST
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
WaKeeney
KS

County seat in Kansas

From Denver
301 mi
05h 09m
To Kansas City
302.2 mi
05h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
58°F
Sunday

Areas Of Fog then Sunny

Starts
Sun, Nov 15 6:00 AM MST
Wind
1 to 6 mph ESE
Destination
54°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Nov 15 6:00 AM CST
Wind
5 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Denver and Kansas City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Denver and Kansas City.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    115 m · 29 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right

    19 m · 12 sec

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East Colfax Avenue

    110 m · 14 sec · East Colfax Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto North Lincoln Street

    2848 ft · 2 min · North Lincoln Street

  5. 5

    Continue on 20th Street

    153 m · 18 sec · 20th Street

  6. 6

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    2045 ft · 1 min · North Broadway

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Park Avenue West

    1.6 km · 3 min · Park Avenue West

  8. 8

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 25 North, I 70: Fort Collins, Limon, Grand Junction

    140 m · 11 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 70: Limon, Grand Junction

    1187 ft · 23 sec

  10. 10

    Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

    1.6 km · 1 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

  11. 11

    Keep slight left

    1638 ft · 40 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    9 mi · 12 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    438.4 mi · 7 hr 19 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

    74.7 mi · 1 hr 15 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

    14.9 mi · 17 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

    1.2 km · 52 sec · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on Kansas Turnpike

    54.7 mi · 56 min · Kansas Turnpike

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on Jay B. Dillingham Freeway

    2.7 mi · 4 min · Jay B. Dillingham Freeway

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight left toward Central Street, Downtown

    767 ft · 26 sec

  22. 22

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Central Street

    1266 ft · 39 sec · Central Street

  23. 23

    Turn slight right

    48 m · 9 sec

  24. 24

    Turn straight onto West 12th Street

    2305 ft · 1 min · West 12th Street

  25. 25

    Turn right onto Oak Street

    6 m · 1 sec · Oak Street

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Oak Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Denver and Kansas City.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
26 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
439 mi · 73%
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
90.3 mi · 15%
Kansas Turnpike
54.7 mi · 9%
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
10.2 mi · 2%
Jay B. Dillingham Freeway
2.73 mi
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
2.41 mi
Longest Stretch

Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

438 mi · 07h 19m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
10h 18m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
20h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+46.3 mi
556.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
WaKeeney
05h 09m from Denver
Leave By
3:22 PM MST
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Areas Of Fog then Sunny leaving Denver and Mostly Sunny near Kansas City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Denver to Kansas City?

The road trip is about 603.2 miles (970.8 km) and usually takes 10h 18m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

WaKeeney is a useful midpoint, sitting about 301 miles from Denver and 302.2 miles from Kansas City.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 556.9 miles (896.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 46.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $77.52 one way or $155.03 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 189.2 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Denver and Kansas City, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Areas Of Fog then Sunny around Denver and Mostly Sunny near Kansas City.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Denver and Kansas City. Straight-line distance: 556.87 mi (896.2 km).

Denver

#1 Denver

The twentieth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Denver metropolitan area.

Population735,538
Coordinates39.7391500, -104.9847000
Altitude1609
CountryUnited States
Kansas City

#2 Kansas City

The third most populous city in Missouri and the center of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Population495,327
Coordinates39.0997300, -94.5785700
Altitude274
CountryUnited States
Start: Denver (-104.9847, 39.73915)
End: Kansas City (-94.57857, 39.09973)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 971 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)20h 05m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)15h 04m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)12h 03m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)10h 03m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)08h 37m
80 mph (129 km/h)07h 31m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
21.29 gal
80.58 L · about $77.52
Round trip
$155.03
42.58 gal · 161.16 L
Estimated CO2
189.2 kg one way
Round trip: 378.4 kg / 834 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.64 $77.52 $155.03
Mid-grade $4.02 $85.54 $171.09
Premium $4.35 $92.51 $185.01
Diesel $5.94 $126.42 $252.84

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Colorado · Nov 15, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Denver, CO and Kansas City, MO. The current time in Denver is 11:21:02, although it is 12:21:02 in Kansas City.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.