Origin
Moundridge, KS
Late night in Moundridge on Tuesday
Local time
3:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Moundridge, 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
53m
Distance
48.6 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 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Moundridge, KS
Tien Nguyen
Salina, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 48.6-mile drive from Moundridge, KS, to Salina, KS, will take you approximately 53 minutes, making it a perfect one-day trip. You'll navigate using Christian Avenue and 22nd Avenue before transitioning to KS-140. With a fuel cost estimated at $8 and no designated stops, this is a straightforward journey through the Great Plains region. The route is characterized by frequent turns, indicating a more local driving experience rather than a high-speed highway cruise. Plan for a simple, efficient travel day with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 135 | 44.4 mi | 44m |
| West State Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| 22nd Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Christian Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Iron Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North College Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 8th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cole Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 135
— 44.4 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Moundridge, KS and Salina, KS.
1
Start on Cole Street
52 ft
·
7 sec
·
Cole Street
2
Turn left onto Christian Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Christian Avenue
3
Continue on 22nd Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
22nd Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
5
Merge onto I 135; US 81
44 mi
·
44 min
·
I 135; US 81
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward KS 140
7
Turn right onto West State Street
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
West State Street
8
Keep slight right at fork
428 ft
·
9 sec
9
Turn straight onto West State Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Street
10
Turn right onto North College Avenue
379 ft
·
15 sec
·
North College Avenue
11
Turn left onto West Iron Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Iron Avenue
12
Turn right onto South 8th Street
92 ft
·
3 sec
·
South 8th Street
13
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 24.3 miles from Moundridge, 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 48.1 — 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
|
Christian Avenue
Turn left onto Christian Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
46.5 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward KS 140
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward KS 140
4
47.1 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
48.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
North College Avenue
Turn right onto North College Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
48.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
West Iron Avenue
Turn left onto West Iron Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.60 one way
$15.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.34 | $16.68 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.35 | $18.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.73 | $21.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 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 | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.25 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.80 | $3.11 |
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 Tuesday
Local time
3:47 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
1 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
53m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route. With a 0% highway share, you'll be navigating primarily on surface streets and county roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not a significant factor here, as the route is designed for frequent directional changes. This isn't a monotonous interstate grind; rather, it's a more engaged driving experience that keeps you connected to the landscape as you move through the Kansas plains. You'll feel the local character of the roads throughout the entire 53-minute journey.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.4 mi on I 135.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 135 and West State Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Christian Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 53m drive. You will face about 9 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 (Christian Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 46.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 47.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 53m. Total distance: 48.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.4 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: near the start (Christian Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 46.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 47.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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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