Origin
Conway, KS
Late night in Conway on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Conway, KS to Salina, KS
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
44.1 mi
71 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Conway, KS
Tien Nguyen
Salina, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Conway, KS to Salina, KS is 44.1 miles and takes about 49m via I 135, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within the vast Great Plains region of Kansas, offering a straightforward journey. Expect a largely highway-focused drive that makes for an efficient transit between these two points. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a same-day trip, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination. It's a practical choice for anyone needing to connect these nearby Kansas communities without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 135 | 32.6 mi | 32m |
| US 56 | 9.2 mi | 11m |
| West State Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Iron Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| US 81 Business | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North College Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 8th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 135
— 32.6 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Conway, KS and Salina, KS.
1
Start on this road
116 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto US 56
9.2 mi
·
11 min
·
US 56
3
Turn left onto US 81 Business
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 81 Business
4
Merge onto I 135; US 81
33 mi
·
32 min
·
I 135; US 81
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward KS 140
6
Turn right onto West State Street
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
West State Street
7
Keep slight right at fork
428 ft
·
9 sec
8
Turn straight onto West State Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Street
9
Turn right onto North College Avenue
379 ft
·
15 sec
·
North College Avenue
10
Turn left onto West Iron Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Iron Avenue
11
Turn right onto South 8th Street
92 ft
·
3 sec
·
South 8th Street
12
Arrive at destination
South 8th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.1 miles from Conway, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 43.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 56
Turn left onto US 56
Navigation decision point
4
9.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
US 81 Business
Turn left onto US 81 Business
Navigation decision point
4
42 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward KS 140
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward KS 140
4
42.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
43.6 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
North College Avenue
Turn right onto North College Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.89 one way
$13.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.57 | $15.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.49 | $16.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.74 | $19.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.63 | $2.12 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.86 | $1.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.17 | $2.82 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Salina, KS
Late night in Salina on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
49m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 95% of the 44.1 miles on major roads like I 135 and US 56. You'll experience the efficiency of interstate travel for the majority of your journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 32.6 miles on I 135, meaning you can settle in for a good portion of the drive without significant changes in road type. The route progresses primarily along these well-maintained highways, offering a consistent driving experience as you move from Conway to Salina.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.6 mi on I 135.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 135 and US 56. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 56.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.1 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 56): Navigation decision point; at 9.2 miles (US 81 Business): Navigation decision point; at 42 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Arriving in Salina, KS
Full guide →Salina (sah-LIGH-nah) is the county seat of Saline County in Central Kansas. In 2020, it was home to 47,000 people.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 44.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.6 miles on I 135. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 56): Navigation decision point; at 9.2 miles (US 81 Business): Navigation decision point; at 42 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Salina, KS before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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