Origin
Hutchinson, KS
Late night in Hutchinson on Tuesday
Local time
4:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hutchinson, 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
1h 15m
Distance
65.5 mi
105 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hutchinson, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Salina, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hutchinson to Salina is 65.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes via I 135, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Great Plains region, connecting two points in Kansas. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on the interstate, making it an easy decision for a quick transit. You'll find it a simple and efficient way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 135 | 34.7 mi | 34m |
| Ken Kennedy Freeway | 26.6 mi | 29m |
| West State Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East 11th Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| West Iron Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Maple Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 8th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North College Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 135
— 34.7 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hutchinson, KS and Salina, KS.
1
Start on this road
347 ft
·
27 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
East 8th Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Maple Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Maple Street
4
Turn right onto East 11th Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
East 11th Avenue
5
Turn left onto KS 61
27 mi
·
29 min
·
Ken Kennedy Freeway
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
1 min
7
Merge onto I 135; US 81
35 mi
·
34 min
·
I 135; US 81
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward KS 140
9
Turn right onto West State Street
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
West State Street
10
Keep slight right at fork
428 ft
·
9 sec
11
Turn straight onto West State Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Street
12
Turn right onto North College Avenue
379 ft
·
15 sec
·
North College Avenue
13
Turn left onto West Iron Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Iron Avenue
14
Turn right onto South 8th Street
92 ft
·
3 sec
·
South 8th Street
15
Arrive at destination
South 8th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.8 miles from Hutchinson, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 63.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 8th Avenue
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North Maple Street
Turn left onto North Maple Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East 11th Avenue
Turn right onto East 11th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
28.3 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
63.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward KS 140
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward KS 140
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.24 one way
$20.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.24 | $22.49 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.60 | $25.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.46 | $28.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.88 | $3.14 |
| Efficient EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.17 | $4.19 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
4:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
64°F
Conway, KS
33 mi in
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
21 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 15m 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 drive is 94% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on I 135. The longest continuous stretch on the interstate is 34.7 miles. You'll transition from the Ken Kennedy Freeway onto West State Street as you approach your destination. Expect a consistent cruising experience with few interruptions for the majority of the trip.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.7 mi on I 135.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 135 and Ken Kennedy Freeway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 8th Avenue.
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 65.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 0.1 miles (East 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Maple Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (East 11th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Hutchinson, KS
Full guide →Hutchinson is a city in Central Kansas.
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 1h 15m. Total distance: 65.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.7 miles on I 135. 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: at 0.1 miles (East 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Maple Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (East 11th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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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