Origin
Junction City, KS
Late night in Junction City on Sunday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Junction City, KS to Salina, KS
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
48.2 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Junction City, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Salina, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Junction City to Salina is a quick, straightforward journey across the Great Plains of Kansas. Spanning 48.2 miles, this drive typically takes about 55 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You should budget approximately $7 for fuel to cover the distance between these two points. Because the trip is short and efficient, it serves as a practical link for travelers navigating the heart of the state. Whether you are commuting or simply exploring the region, you will find this transition between the two cities simple and predictable.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 22.2 mi | 22m |
| Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway | 21.4 mi | 21m |
| North 9th Street | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| North Washington Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| US 40 Business | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 6th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Iron Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Jefferson Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 22.2 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Junction City, KS and Salina, KS.
1
Start on North Jefferson Street
130 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Jefferson Street
2
Turn left onto West 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
West 6th Street
3
Turn right onto US 40 Business
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Washington Street
4
Enter roundabout onto US 40 Business
136 ft
·
3 sec
·
US 40 Business
5
Continue on US 40 Business
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 40 Business
6
Merge onto I 70; US 40; KS 18
21 mi
·
21 min
·
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 70; US 40
22 mi
·
22 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward KS 143
9
Turn left onto KS 143
2.5 mi
·
5 min
·
North 9th Street
10
Turn left onto West Iron Avenue
279 ft
·
13 sec
·
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
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.1 miles from Junction City, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 48.2 — 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
|
West 6th Street
Turn left onto West 6th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 40 Business / North Washington Street
Turn right onto US 40 Business / North Washington Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 40 Business
Enter roundabout onto US 40 Business
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 70; US 40; KS 18 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Merge onto I 70; US 40; KS 18 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
48.2 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
South 8th Street
Turn right onto South 8th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.54 one way
$15.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.27 | $16.55 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.28 | $18.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.64 | $21.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.06 | $2.31 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.22 | $1.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.75 | $3.08 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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 Sunday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Abilene, KS
24 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
5 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
55m 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?
You will spend your time behind the wheel navigating a mix of roads, including the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, the Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway, and North 9th Street. This path is best described as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is 22.2 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, which provides a brief period of steady cruising. Since the highway share is 0%, expect to be more engaged with the road as you transition between local segments. It is a functional route that demands your attention through its various turns and connections.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.2 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower 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 early in the drive near West 6th 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 55m drive. You will face about 8 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 (West 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 40 Business / North Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (US 40 Business): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,269 ft
1,105 ft
Total Climb
276 ft
Total Descent
155 ft
Highest Point
1,269 ft
~41.3 mi in
Elevation Range
164 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Junction City, KS
Full guide →Junction City is the seat of Geary County, in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. It is a small city of around 23,000 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 55m. Total distance: 48.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.2 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 (West 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 40 Business / North Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (US 40 Business): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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