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Trip from Ellinwood, KS to Wichita, KS

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 57m

Distance

98.2 mi

158 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Fair

3 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 49m ★
6 AM
1h 57m
8 AM
2h 14m
10 AM
2h 3m
12 PM
2h 1m
3 PM
2h 4m
5 PM
2h 13m
8 PM
1h 52m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Ellinwood, KS, KS

Ellinwood, KS

Tien Nguyen

city in and county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States

Wichita, KS

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 98.2-mile drive from Ellinwood, KS to Wichita, KS takes approximately 1 hour and 57 minutes, making it a straightforward day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads, with no highway driving involved, so expect a more connected-to-the-landscape experience. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $16, which is quite economical. Both Ellinwood and Wichita are situated within the Great Plains region, so the scenery will likely reflect the characteristic open landscapes of central Kansas. This route is well-suited for a single day of travel, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stop.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

49.1 miles from Ellinwood, KS

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
KS 14 40.7 mi 44m
North Broadway Avenue 29.1 mi 34m
East Santa Fe Avenue 20.3 mi 23m
North Broadway Street 4.2 mi 7m
US 50 1.4 mi 1m
South Grand Avenue 1 mi 2m
East Santa Fe Boulevard 0.5 mi <1m
North Main Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: KS 14 — 40.7 mi, about 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ellinwood, KS and Wichita, KS.

1

Start on East 2nd Street

87 ft · 9 sec · East 2nd Street
2

Turn left onto North Main Street

0.1 mi · 35 sec · North Main Street
3

Turn left onto US 56; KS 96

0.5 mi · 33 sec · East Santa Fe Boulevard
4

Continue on US 56; KS 96

20 mi · 23 min · East Santa Fe Avenue
5

Turn right onto KS 14; KS 96

1.0 mi · 2 min · South Grand Avenue
6

Continue on KS 14; KS 96

29 mi · 34 min · North Broadway Avenue
7

Continue on US 50; KS 14; KS 61; KS 96

1.4 mi · 1 min · US 50; KS 14; KS 61; KS 96
Use the straight lane.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward KS 96
9

Turn right onto KS 14; KS 96

41 mi · 44 min · KS 14; KS 96
Toward Wichita Use the straight / right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 15 Toward Broadway Avenue
11

Turn right onto North Broadway Street

4.2 mi · 7 min · North Broadway Street
12

Turn right onto East Central Avenue

368 ft · 14 sec · East Central Avenue
13

Turn left onto North Market Street

358 ft · 11 sec · North Market Street
14

Turn right

187 ft · 13 sec
15

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Given the relatively short duration of under two hours for this 98.2-mile trip, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Ellinwood in the morning will allow you to arrive in Wichita with plenty of the day remaining. With no significant highway stretches and a low fuel cost of about $16, you won't need to worry about frequent fuel stops. Since there are no specified stops on this route, you can decide to make spontaneous breaks as needed. Keep an eye on local road conditions, as these can sometimes be less predictable than major highways.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 49.1 miles from Ellinwood, KS, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40.7 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 22 miles or 26m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 49.1 miles or 58m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 33m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wichita, KS than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Ellinwood, KS so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Ellinwood, KS

This is one driving day of about 98.2 miles and 1h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Ellinwood, KS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on KS 14 for about 40.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Kansas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hutchinson, KS

49 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.

Popular next leg

Hutchinson, KS to Wichita, KS

49.4 mi · 1h 2m

Pacing Suggestions

Hutchinson, KS

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hutchinson, KS

Meal break

The midpoint is around 49.1 miles from Ellinwood, 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.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

El Potrillo Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~11 min detour

4.4 mi from route ~11 min detour $10 to $20 mile 49.1

Hutchinson, Kansas

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+16206649824

Visit website

InCharge Energy Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 63.1

Haven, Kansas

+18333994638

Visit website

Blink Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 63.1

Hutchinson, Kansas

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18889982546

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

3.3 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 98.2

Wichita, KS

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 98 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Main Street

Turn left onto North Main Street

Navigation decision point

4
20.9 mi into trip | ~24m in | KS 14; KS 96 / South Grand Avenue

Turn right onto KS 14; KS 96 / South Grand Avenue

Navigation decision point

6
52.6 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in | KS 14; KS 96

Turn right onto KS 14; KS 96 toward Wichita

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward Wichita
5
93.3 mi into trip | ~1h 47m in

Take the exit toward Broadway Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 15 Toward Broadway Avenue
5
98 mi into trip | ~1h 56m in | North Market Street

Turn left onto North Market Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.35 one way

$30.70 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 34 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $16.86 $33.71
premium $4.89 $18.90 $37.80
diesel $5.61 $21.68 $43.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 34.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29.5 0 $10.31 $4.71
Efficient EV 24.6 0 $8.59 $3.93
EV Truck/SUV 39.3 0 $13.75 $6.28

Gas CO2

34 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (68% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Ellinwood, KS

Late night in Ellinwood on Sunday

Local time

5:12 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Wichita, KS

Late night in Wichita on Sunday

Local time

5:12 AM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

1 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 57m 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?

The character of this drive is best described as 'turn-heavy' and local. With a 0% highway share, you won't encounter any interstate speeds here. Instead, you'll be following a series of local roads, including North Main Street, East Santa Fe Boulevard, and East Santa Fe Avenue. This means you'll be more engaged with the road, making frequent adjustments as you navigate through towns and rural areas. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, but given the 'turn-heavy' profile, anticipate a more varied and potentially slower pace throughout the 98.2-mile journey.

43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 40.7 mi on KS 14.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Main Street.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 57m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 20.9 miles (KS 14; KS 96 / South Grand Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 52.6 miles (KS 14; KS 96): Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Wichita, KS

Full guide →

Wichita is the largest city in Kansas — since Kansas City is divided between the states of Kansas and Missouri. It is not the biggest or flashiest city in the US, but it is a medium-sized city with a small-town feel. It offers much to tourists with its variety of attractions. === Tourist information === Visit Wichita website

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 1h 57m. Total distance: 98.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (43%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 40.7 miles on KS 14. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 20.9 miles (KS 14; KS 96 / South Grand Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 52.6 miles (KS 14; KS 96): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wichita, 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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