Traveling from Girard to Wichita covers 143.8 miles across the heart of the Kansas Great Plains. This 2-hour and 30-minute journey is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. With an estimated fuel cost of $22, it remains an affordable trek for a quick getaway or a necessary commute. You will navigate via North Summit Street, West Saint John Street, and West 620th Avenue rather than major interstates. Because this route stays entirely within the Great Plains, you can expect consistent terrain throughout the drive. It is a straightforward, practical connection between these two Kansas communities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
71.9 miles from Girard, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
61.6 mi
1h 11m
110th Road
29.2 mi
51m
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
26 mi
32m
West 620th Avenue
12.7 mi
22m
100th Road
8.5 mi
14m
Washington Street
1.6 mi
2m
Pratt Road
0.9 mi
1m
West Saint John Street
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
— 61.6 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Girard, KS and Wichita, KS.
1
Start on East Forest Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·East Forest Avenue
2
Turn right onto K-7
0.2 mi·26 sec·North Summit Street
3
Turn left onto KS 47
0.7 mi·1 min·West Saint John Street
4
Continue on KS 47
13 mi·22 min·West 620th Avenue
5
Continue on KS 47
4.0 mi·7 min·100th Road
6
Continue on KS 47
1.6 mi·2 min·Washington Street
7
Continue on KS 47
4.4 mi·7 min·100th Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto US 59; KS 47
0.9 mi·1 min·Pratt Road
9
Turn left onto KS 47
29 mi·51 min·110th Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
10
Enter roundabout onto US 400
46 ft·0 sec·Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
11
Continue on US 400
62 mi·1 hr 11 min·Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway
12
Continue on US 54; US 77; US 400
7.3 mi·8 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
13
Continue on US 54; US 77; US 400
0.7 mi·1 min·East 7th Avenue
14
Continue on US 54; US 400
19 mi·23 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward Central Business DistrictUse the slight right lane.
16
Continue on East Kellogg Drive
371 ft·10 sec·East Kellogg Drive
17
Turn right onto South Broadway Avenue
0.5 mi·52 sec·South Broadway Avenue
18
Continue on North Broadway Street
0.4 mi·45 sec·North Broadway Street
19
Turn left onto East 3rd Street North
370 ft·20 sec·East 3rd Street North
20
Turn right onto North Market Street
315 ft·14 sec·North Market Street
21
Turn left
187 ft·13 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short 2.5-hour drive, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. Planning for one scheduled stop along the 143.8-mile path is a good way to break up the journey and keep your energy levels steady. Because the route relies on local roads rather than major highways, keep a close eye on your GPS to ensure you stay on track through the various turns. Budgeting approximately $22 for fuel will cover your transit, but it is always wise to ensure your tank is topped off before leaving Girard. By keeping a steady pace and staying alert at intersections, you can easily complete this trip in one comfortable afternoon.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71.9 miles from Girard, KS, or about 1h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.6 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 32 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 71.9 miles or 1h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 49m
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 Girard, KS so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Girard, KS
This is one driving day of about 143.7 miles and 3h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Girard, KS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway for about 61.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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 0.3 and 143.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|K-7 / North Summit Street
Turn right onto K-7 / North Summit Street
Navigation decision point
5
24.9 mi into trip|~44m in|KS 47 / 110th Road
Turn left onto KS 47 / 110th Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
142.4 mi into trip|~3h 20m in
Take the exit toward Central Business District
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Central Business District
5
143.6 mi into trip|~3h 23m in|North Market Street
Turn right onto North Market Street
Navigation decision point
5
143.7 mi into trip|~3h 23m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.47 one way
$44.93 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg50 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$24.67
$49.33
premium
$4.89
$27.65
$55.31
diesel
$5.61
$31.73
$63.45
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.1
0
$15.09
$6.90
Efficient EV
35.9
0
$12.57
$5.75
EV Truck/SUV
57.5
0
$20.12
$9.20
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Girard, KS
Late night
in Girard on Tuesday
Local time
5:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Wichita, KS
Late night
in Wichita on Tuesday
Local time
5:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Fredonia, KS
72 mi in
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
5 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
3h 24m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy, local drive that prioritizes secondary roads over the monotonous rhythm of the interstate. Since 0% of this 143.8-mile journey is on major highways, your experience will be defined by navigating smaller segments rather than high-speed cruising. The route feels more intimate and deliberate, requiring your full attention as you transition between North Summit Street, West Saint John Street, and West 620th Avenue. You will find that the personality of the road remains consistent, favoring local thoroughfares that cut through the open landscape. Prepare for a hands-on driving experience where the focus is on rural navigation rather than long, uninterrupted stretches of pavement.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 61.6 mi on Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near K-7 / North Summit Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 24m 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: at 0.3 miles (K-7 / North Summit Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.9 miles (KS 47 / 110th Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 142.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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
The longest stretch is about 61.6 miles on Clayton J. Connell Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (K-7 / North Summit Street): Navigation decision point; at 24.9 miles (KS 47 / 110th Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 142.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Wichita, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
