How far is Kansas City, KS from Ulysses, KS?

The driving distance from Kansas City, KS to Ulysses, KS is about 412.2 miles (663.4 km), with a travel time of about 07h 58m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 379.5 miles (610.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 57m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
412.22 mi
07h 58m
Flight
379.52 mi
610.78 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
379.52 mi
Kilometers
610.78 km
Flight Time
00h 45m

Driving Distance

Road route
412.22 mi
Kilometers
663.4 km
Drive Time
07h 58m

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 07h 58m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Ulysses
Sun, May 3, 6:25 PM CDT
Return by in Kansas City
Mon, May 4, 2:24 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Kansas City
2026-05-03T10:27
Arrive Ulysses
Sun, May 3, 6:25 PM CDT
Route Timing
07h 58m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:59 PM to 3:29 PM CDT

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

Leave by
8:02 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Kansas City
8:00 PM CDT
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
Ellsworth
KS

City in Kansas

From Kansas City
205.8 mi
03h 59m
To Ulysses
206.4 mi
03h 59m

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
83°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 3 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
9 to 15 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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 left onto Main Street

    2161 ft · 39 sec · Main Street

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Railroad Avenue

    2965 ft · 1 min · Railroad Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Railroad Avenue

    2.1 mi · 5 min · Railroad Avenue

  14. 14

    At the end of the road, turn left

    19.3 mi · 23 min

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Broadway Street

    1.2 km · 52 sec · Broadway Street

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Northeast Trail Street

    24.3 mi · 29 min · Northeast Trail Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Niles Avenue

    2707 ft · 48 sec · Niles Avenue

  18. 18

    Turn right onto East 10th Street

    31.3 mi · 36 min · East 10th Street

  19. 19

    Turn left

    3.1 mi · 4 min

  20. 20

    Turn left

    3.9 mi · 5 min

  21. 21

    Keep slight right

    833 ft · 11 sec

  22. 22

    Turn straight

    32.4 mi · 39 min

  23. 23

    Turn right

    16.6 mi · 29 min

  24. 24

    Continue straight

    27 mi · 36 min

  25. 25

    Turn right onto South Missouri Street

    1563 ft · 48 sec · South Missouri Street

  26. 26

    Turn left onto East Grant Avenue

    92 m · 15 sec · East Grant Avenue

  27. 27

    Turn right onto North Court Street

    69 m · 10 sec · North Court Street

  28. 28

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Court Street

Car Route Details

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

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
28 steps
19 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
0 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
91.6 mi · 22%
East 10th Street
58.4 mi · 14%
I 70 West
54.3 mi · 13%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
49.4 mi · 12%
Northeast Trail Street
24.3 mi · 6%
KS 156
4 mi · 1%
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

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
07h 58m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
15h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+32.7 mi
379.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Ellsworth
03h 59m from Kansas City
Leave By
8:02 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Kansas City and Sunny near Ulysses.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 412.2 miles (663.4 km) and usually takes 07h 58m 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?

Ellsworth is a useful midpoint, sitting about 205.8 miles from Kansas City and 206.4 miles from Ulysses.

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

The direct path is about 379.5 miles (610.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 32.7 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 CDT. 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 $54.87 one way or $109.74 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 129.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Ellsworth

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Ellsworth, 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 Ellsworth.

RAIL

Hutchinson

79 mi away
North Walnut St & East 3rd Ave
RAIL

Newton

108 mi away
414 North Main St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Kansas City and Ulysses. Straight-line distance: 379.52 mi (610.78 km).

Kansas City

#1 Kansas City

The second most populous city in Kansas.

Population152,960
Coordinates39.1141700, -94.6274600
Altitude266
CountryUnited States
Ulysses

#2 Ulysses

City in and the county seat of Grant County, Kansas, United States

Population5,546
Coordinates37.5814100, -101.3551700
Altitude930
CountryUnited States
Start: Kansas City (-94.62746, 39.11417)
End: Ulysses (-101.35517, 37.58141)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 663 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)13h 44m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 18m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 14m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 52m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 53m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
14.55 gal
55.06 L · about $54.87
Round trip
$109.74
29.1 gal · 110.12 L
Estimated CO2
129.3 kg one way
Round trip: 258.6 kg / 570 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $54.87 $109.74
Mid-grade $4.25 $61.88 $123.76
Premium $4.65 $67.72 $135.43
Diesel $5.30 $77.17 $154.35

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 Ulysses. The current time is 10:27:02.

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.