Origin
Salina, KS
Late night in Salina on Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Salina, KS to Benton, 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 43m
Distance
92.5 mi
149 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 36m
★
6 AM
1h 43m
8 AM
1h 59m
10 AM
1h 49m
12 PM
1h 47m
3 PM
1h 49m
5 PM
1h 58m
8 PM
1h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salina, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Benton, KS
Zsolt Pujsz
Trip Overview
Salina, KS to Benton, KS is 92.5 miles and takes about 1h 43m via I 135, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive keeps you within the Great Plains region for its entirety, offering a consistent landscape. It's a practical route, primarily utilizing the interstate, making it ideal for a quick trip between these two Kansas towns. Given its short duration, this journey is perfectly suited for a same-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.2 miles from Salina, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 135 | 75.4 mi | 1h 16m |
| East 61st Street North | 9 mi | 12m |
| Southwest 20th Street | 2.5 mi | 2m |
| South Santa Fe Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| South 9th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Kechi Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Magnolia Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 135
— 75.4 mi, about 1h 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salina, KS and Benton, KS.
1
Start on South 8th Street
92 ft
·
5 sec
·
South 8th Street
2
Turn right onto West Iron Avenue
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Iron Avenue
3
Turn right onto South Santa Fe Avenue
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Santa Fe Avenue
4
At end of road, turn right onto West Claflin Avenue
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Claflin Avenue
5
Turn left onto South 9th Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South 9th Street
6
Turn right
140 ft
·
5 sec
7
Turn right onto West Magnolia Road
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
West Magnolia Road
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
9
Merge onto I 135; US 81
57 mi
·
57 min
·
I 135; US 81
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on I 135; US 50; US 81
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 135; US 50; US 81
11
Continue on I 135; US 81
16 mi
·
16 min
·
I 135; US 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 14
Toward 61st Street
13
Turn left onto East 61st Street North
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
East 61st Street North
14
Continue on Kechi Road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Kechi Road
15
Turn right onto North Woodlawn Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
North Woodlawn Street
16
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
17
Merge onto KS 254
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
East 61st Street North
18
Continue on KS 254
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest 20th Street
19
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
20
Turn right onto Benton Street
177 ft
·
7 sec
·
Benton Street
21
Arrive at destination
Benton Street
Trip Plan
With a drive time under two hours, you have considerable flexibility in when you depart. Leaving Salina in the morning or early afternoon will easily get you to Benton with plenty of daylight remaining. Since there are no designated stops in the data, plan for brief breaks as needed, perhaps at a rest area along I 135. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch on the interstate means you'll want to fuel up before heading out if your tank is low, especially given the $14 estimated fuel cost.
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 46.2 miles from Salina, KS, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 75.4 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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.2 miles or 50m 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 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Benton, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Salina, KS so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Salina, KS
This is one driving day of about 92.5 miles and 1h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Salina, KS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 135 for about 75.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
46 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 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 46.2 miles from Salina, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 135 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 75.4 miles.
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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 83.4 — 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 Iron Avenue
Turn right onto West Iron Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
West Claflin Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto West Claflin Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 135; US 81
Merge onto I 135; US 81
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
79.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward 61st Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 14
Toward 61st Street
5
83.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 31m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.46 one way
$28.92 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
32 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $15.88 | $31.76 |
| premium | $4.89 | $17.80 | $35.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $20.42 | $40.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 27.8 | 0 | $9.71 | $4.44 |
| Efficient EV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.09 | $3.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 37 | 0 | $12.95 | $5.92 |
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Destination
Benton, KS
Late night in Benton on Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°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
25 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 43m 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 predominantly highway-focused, with 82% of the journey on the interstate. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 75.4 miles on I 135, which offers consistent speed and ease of travel. While the primary road is I 135, be prepared for transitions onto local roads like East 61st Street North and Southwest 20th Street as you approach your destination. The character remains largely that of a functional, efficient highway route throughout.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 75.4 mi on I 135.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 135 and East 61st Street North. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Iron 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 1h 43m drive. You will face about 13 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 Iron Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (West Claflin Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (I 135; US 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 43m. Total distance: 92.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 75.4 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 (West Iron Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (West Claflin Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (I 135; US 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Benton, 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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