How far is Kansas City, KS from Great Bend, KS?

The driving distance from Kansas City, KS to Great Bend, KS is about 249.8 miles (402 km), with a travel time of about 04h 27m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 228.9 miles (368.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 54m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
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
249.77 mi
04h 27m
Flight
228.89 mi
368.36 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Kansas City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
228.89 mi
Kilometers
368.36 km
Flight Time
00h 27m

Driving Distance

Road route
249.77 mi
Kilometers
401.97 km
Drive Time
04h 27m

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 04h 27m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Great Bend
Sun, May 3, 5:13 AM CDT
Return by in Kansas City
Sun, May 3, 9:40 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Kansas City
2026-05-03T00:45
Arrive Great Bend
Sun, May 3, 5:13 AM CDT
Route Timing
04h 27m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:27 AM to 12:27 PM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
8:06 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Kansas City
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Junction City
KS

City in and county seat of Geary County, Kansas

From Kansas City
124.6 mi
02h 13m
To Great Bend
125.1 mi
02h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 3 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
9 to 15 mph WSW
Destination
85°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 3 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
14 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kansas City and Great Bend.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    45 m · 13 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Armstrong Avenue

    86 m · 14 sec · Armstrong Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North 7th Street Trafficway

    1.3 mi · 3 min · North 7th Street Trafficway

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 70 West, US 24 West, US 40 West, US 69 South: Topeka

    54.3 mi · 56 min

  5. 5

    Keep slight right to continue on Kansas Turnpike

    1.5 km · 1 min · Kansas Turnpike

  6. 6

    Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

    91.6 mi · 1 hr 34 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    49.4 mi · 49 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward KS 156, Ellsworth, Great Bend

    931 ft · 28 sec

  9. 9

    Turn left

    47.9 mi · 56 min

  10. 10

    Take the ramp slight right

    3.8 mi · 6 min

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Main Street

    1110 ft · 21 sec · Main Street

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Lakin Avenue

    29 m · 4 sec · Lakin Avenue

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Lakin Avenue

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
13 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
0 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
91.6 mi · 37%
I 70 West
54.3 mi · 22%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
49.4 mi · 20%
KS 156
4 mi · 2%
North 7th Street Trafficway
1.28 mi · 1%
Kansas Turnpike
0.92 mi
Longest Stretch

Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

Continue on Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

91.6 mi · 01h 34m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 27m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+20.9 mi
228.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Junction City
02h 13m from Kansas City
Leave By
8:06 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Kansas City and Sunny near Great Bend.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Kansas City to Great Bend?

The road trip is about 249.8 miles (402 km) and usually takes 04h 27m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Junction City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 124.6 miles from Kansas City and 125.1 miles from Great Bend.

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

The direct path is about 228.9 miles (368.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 20.9 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 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:06 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $33.22 one way or $66.45 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 78.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Kansas City and Sunny near Great Bend.

Stop Ideas Near Junction City

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Junction City, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Junction City.

RAIL

Topeka

101 mi away
500 SE Holliday Place
RAIL

Newton

118 mi away
414 North Main St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Kansas City and Great Bend. Straight-line distance: 228.89 mi (368.36 km).

Kansas City

#1 Kansas City

The second most populous city in Kansas.

Population152,960
Coordinates39.1141700, -94.6274600
Altitude266
CountryUnited States
Great Bend

#2 Great Bend

City in Barton County, Kansas, United States

Population1,653
Coordinates38.3644600, -98.7648100
Altitude564
CountryUnited States
Start: Kansas City (-94.62746, 39.11417)
End: Great Bend (-98.76481, 38.36446)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 402 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 19m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 14m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 59m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 09m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 34m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 06m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.81 gal
33.36 L · about $33.22
Round trip
$66.45
17.62 gal · 66.72 L
Estimated CO2
78.3 kg one way
Round trip: 156.6 kg / 345 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $33.22 $66.45
Mid-grade $4.25 $37.47 $74.94
Premium $4.65 $41.00 $82.00
Diesel $5.30 $46.73 $93.46

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 Kansas · May 03, 2026

There is no time difference between Kansas City and Great Bend. The current time is 00:45:59.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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