How far is Shawnee, KS from Lexington, KS?

The driving distance from Shawnee, KS to Lexington, KS is about 335.7 miles (540.3 km), with a travel time of about 06h 23m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 291.2 miles (468.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 47m 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
335.76 mi
06h 23m
Flight
291.21 mi
468.66 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Shawnee.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
291.21 mi
Kilometers
468.66 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
335.76 mi
Kilometers
540.35 km
Drive Time
06h 23m

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 06h 23m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lexington
Thu, Apr 16, 3:42 AM CDT
Return by in Shawnee
Thu, Apr 16, 10:05 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Shawnee
2026-04-15T21:18
Arrive Lexington
Thu, Apr 16, 3:42 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 23m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:24 PM to 1:54 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
11:12 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Shawnee
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
Towanda
KS

Township in Butler County, Kansas

From Shawnee
167.6 mi
03h 11m
To Lexington
168.1 mi
03h 11m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
65°F
Overnight

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 1:00 AM CDT
Wind
17 mph SSW
Destination
79°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 10 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Shawnee and Lexington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Shawnee and Lexington.

  1. 1

    Start on Bond Street

    948 ft · 47 sec · Bond Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West 49th Terrace

    1507 ft · 1 min · West 49th Terrace

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Nieman Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Nieman Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Johnson Drive

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Johnson Drive

  5. 5

    Take the ramp right toward I 35 South: Wichita

    687 ft · 17 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    2.8 mi · 3 min

  7. 7

    Continue on I 35 South, US 56 West, US 169 South: Wichita

    4.2 mi · 5 min

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    37.1 mi · 39 min

  9. 9

    Continue straight

    132.8 mi · 2 hr 14 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 54, US 400

    2804 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway

    49.9 mi · 58 min · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway

  12. 12

    Continue on D Avenue

    2.4 mi · 5 min · D Avenue

  13. 13

    Continue on Cannonball Stageline

    31.5 mi · 35 min · Cannonball Stageline

  14. 14

    Continue on East 1st Street

    3.1 mi · 7 min · East 1st Street

  15. 15

    Continue on Cannonball Stageline

    28.7 mi · 33 min · Cannonball Stageline

  16. 16

    Continue on East Kansas Avenue

    1.3 mi · 3 min · East Kansas Avenue

  17. 17

    Continue on The Yellow Brick Road

    8.3 mi · 10 min · The Yellow Brick Road

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on The Yellow Brick Road

    10.6 mi · 12 min · The Yellow Brick Road

  19. 19

    Turn left onto North Main Street

    2978 ft · 50 sec · North Main Street

  20. 20

    Turn straight onto State Highway 34

    17 mi · 25 min · State Highway 34

  21. 21

    Turn left onto Old Highway 34

    2.1 mi · 5 min · Old Highway 34

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Old Highway 34

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Shawnee and Lexington.

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
22 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 35 South
177 mi · 53%
Cannonball Stageline
60.2 mi · 18%
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
49.9 mi · 15%
The Yellow Brick Road
18.9 mi · 6%
State Highway 34
17 mi · 5%
East 1st Street
3.12 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 35 South

Continue straight

133 mi · 02h 14m

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
06h 23m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+44.5 mi
291.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Towanda
03h 11m from Shawnee
Leave By
11:12 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Shawnee and Sunny near Lexington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Shawnee to Lexington?

The road trip is about 335.7 miles (540.3 km) and usually takes 06h 23m 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?

Towanda is a useful midpoint, sitting about 167.6 miles from Shawnee and 168.1 miles from Lexington.

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

The direct path is about 291.2 miles (468.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 44.5 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 $44.69 one way or $89.37 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 105.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Shawnee and Sunny near Lexington.

Stop Ideas Near Towanda

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

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

RAIL

Newton

41 mi away
414 North Main St.
RAIL

Hutchinson

87 mi away
North Walnut St & East 3rd Ave

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Shawnee and Lexington. Straight-line distance: 291.21 mi (468.66 km).

Shawnee

#1 Shawnee

The most populous city in Johnson County, Kansas.

Population66,298
Coordinates39.0416700, -94.7202400
Altitude325
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Lexington

Human settlement in United States of America

Population1,414
Coordinates37.2939100, -99.5995700
Altitude612
CountryUnited States
Start: Shawnee (-94.72024, 39.04167)
End: Lexington (-99.59957, 37.29391)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 540 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 11m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 23m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 35m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 47m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 11m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.85 gal
44.85 L · about $44.69
Round trip
$89.37
23.7 gal · 89.7 L
Estimated CO2
105.3 kg one way
Round trip: 210.6 kg / 464 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $44.69 $89.37
Mid-grade $4.25 $50.40 $100.80
Premium $4.65 $55.15 $110.30
Diesel $5.30 $62.85 $125.70

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 · Apr 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Shawnee and Lexington. The current time is 21:18:22.

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.