How far is Wichita, KS from Louisburg, KS?

The driving distance from Wichita, KS to Louisburg, KS is about 174.9 miles (281.4 km), with a travel time of about 03h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 157.9 miles (254.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 39m 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
174.87 mi
03h 19m
Flight
157.91 mi
254.13 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Wichita.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
157.91 mi
Kilometers
254.13 km
Flight Time
00h 19m

Driving Distance

Road route
174.87 mi
Kilometers
281.43 km
Drive Time
03h 19m

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 03h 19m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Louisburg
Tue, Jun 2, 1:18 AM CDT
Return by in Wichita
Tue, Jun 2, 4:38 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Wichita
2026-06-01T21:58
Arrive Louisburg
Tue, Jun 2, 1:18 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 19m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:20 AM to 11:20 AM CDT

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

Leave by
10:20 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Wichita
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
Emporia
KS

County seat of Lyon County, Kansas, United States

From Wichita
87.3 mi
01h 39m
To Louisburg
87.6 mi
01h 39m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
91°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Mon, Jun 1 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
10 mph E
Destination
86°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Mon, Jun 1 4:00 PM CDT
Wind
9 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Wichita and Louisburg.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wichita and Louisburg.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    13 m · 5 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right

    57 m · 16 sec

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North Market Street

    110 m · 17 sec · North Market Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto East 3rd Street North

    113 m · 20 sec · East 3rd Street North

  5. 5

    Turn right onto North Broadway Street

    2035 ft · 40 sec · North Broadway Street

  6. 6

    Continue on South Broadway Avenue

    2693 ft · 1 min · South Broadway Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn left onto East Kellogg Drive

    116 m · 11 sec · East Kellogg Drive

  8. 8

    Take the ramp straight toward US 54 East

    1202 ft · 29 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway

    7.2 mi · 9 min · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 35: Kansas Turnpike Toll, Kansas City, Oklahoma City

    137 m · 11 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Kansas Turnpike

    74.7 mi · 1 hr 15 min · Kansas Turnpike

  13. 13

    Keep slight right

    60.3 mi · 1 hr 1 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward KS 68: Ottawa, Louisburg

    1618 ft · 40 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right

    20.3 mi · 36 min

  16. 16

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward the route

    56 m · 4 sec

  17. 17

    Exit the roundabout

    5.4 mi · 7 min

  18. 18

    Continue straight

    4.1 mi · 6 min

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Peoria Street

    570 ft · 27 sec · Peoria Street

  20. 20

    Turn right onto South 2nd Street

    44 m · 8 sec · South 2nd Street

  21. 21

    Turn right

    12 m · 3 sec

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Wichita and Louisburg.

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
22 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
12.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Kansas Turnpike
135 mi · 77%
KS 68
9.81 mi · 6%
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
7.23 mi · 4%
I 35
0.97 mi · 1%
South Broadway Avenue
0.51 mi
North Broadway Street
0.39 mi
Longest Stretch

Kansas Turnpike

Merge slight left onto Kansas Turnpike

74.7 mi · 01h 15m

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
03h 19m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+17 mi
157.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Emporia
01h 39m from Wichita
Leave By
10:20 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Wichita and Sunny near Louisburg.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Wichita to Louisburg?

The road trip is about 174.9 miles (281.4 km) and usually takes 03h 19m 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?

Emporia is a useful midpoint, sitting about 87.3 miles from Wichita and 87.6 miles from Louisburg.

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

The direct path is about 157.9 miles (254.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 17 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 10:20 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.27 one way or $46.53 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 54.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Wichita and Sunny near Louisburg.

Stop Ideas Near Emporia

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

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

RAIL

Topeka

85 mi away
500 SE Holliday Place
RAIL

Lawrence

104 mi away
413 East 7th Street
RAIL

Newton

109 mi away
414 North Main St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Wichita and Louisburg. Straight-line distance: 157.91 mi (254.13 km).

Wichita

#1 Wichita

The largest city in Kansas and the center of the Wichita metropolitan area.

Population391,731
Coordinates37.6922400, -97.3375400
Altitude396
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Louisburg

County seat in North Carolina

Population4,590
Coordinates38.6194600, -94.6807900
Altitude333
CountryUnited States
Start: Wichita (-97.33754, 37.69224)
End: Louisburg (-94.68079, 38.61946)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 281 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 49m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 22m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 29m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 54m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 10m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.17 gal
23.36 L · about $23.27
Round trip
$46.53
12.34 gal · 46.72 L
Estimated CO2
54.8 kg one way
Round trip: 109.7 kg / 242 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $23.27 $46.53
Mid-grade $4.25 $26.24 $52.48
Premium $4.65 $28.72 $57.43
Diesel $5.30 $32.73 $65.45

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 · Jun 02, 2026

There is no time difference between Wichita and Louisburg. The current time is 21:58:46.

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.