Salina, KS to Goodland, KS is 238.2 miles and takes about 4h 5m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $38 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region of Kansas, offering a straightforward drive across the state. It's a one-day excursion, primarily on surface roads after the initial highway stretch, making it a practical option if you're looking for a direct route. You'll spend most of your time on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway before transitioning to other roads for the final leg.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
119.1 miles from Salina, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
232.8 mi
3h 52m
North 9th Street
2.5 mi
5m
US 24 Business
1.4 mi
2m
Cherry Avenue
1 mi
2m
East 8th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
West Iron Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Broadway Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
South 8th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 232.8 mi, about 3h 52m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~459 veh/hr typical
· worst 769
Quietest
3 AM
~54 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 100 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salina, KS and Goodland, KS.
1
Start on South 8th Street
92 ft·9 sec·South 8th Street
2
Turn left onto West Iron Avenue
279 ft·15 sec·West Iron Avenue
3
Turn right onto North 9th Street
2.5 mi·5 min·North 9th Street
4
Turn left
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward I 70 West: HaysUse the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 70; US 40
233 mi·3 hr 52 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
6
Take the exit onto US 24 Business
0.2 mi·26 sec·US 24 Business
Toward US 24 Business, Goodland
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 24 Business
1.1 mi·1 min·US 24 Business
8
Turn right onto Cherry Avenue
1.0 mi·2 min·Cherry Avenue
9
Turn left onto East 8th Street
0.2 mi·36 sec·East 8th Street
10
Turn left onto Broadway Avenue
145 ft·6 sec·Broadway Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
Broadway Avenue
Trip Plan
With a driving time of just over 4 hours and a fuel cost around $38, this is a very manageable one-day trip. Consider leaving Salina in the morning to give yourself ample daylight for the entire drive. Since there's only one recommended stop indicated, you have the flexibility to decide when and where you'll take breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially after leaving the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, as services might be more spread out on the surface roads. A good strategy is to refuel before you transition off the main highway if you're concerned.
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 119.1 miles from Salina, KS, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 232.8 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 52 miles or 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 119.1 miles or 2h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Goodland, 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.
+
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 Salina, KS
This is one driving day of about 238.2 miles and 4h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 miles from Salina, 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 Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 232.8 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 237 — 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 left onto West Iron Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
2.6 mi into trip|~6m in
Turn left toward I 70 West: Hays
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 70 West: Hays
5
235.6 mi into trip|~3h 59m in|US 24 Business
Take the exit onto US 24 Business toward US 24 Business, Goodland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 24 Business, Goodland
4
235.8 mi into trip|~4h in|US 24 Business
Keep slight right at fork onto US 24 Business
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
237 mi into trip|~4h 1m in|Cherry Avenue
Turn right onto Cherry Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.73 one way
$79.47 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg83 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$43.19
$86.37
premium
$5.26
$49.32
$98.64
diesel
$6.18
$57.95
$115.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$65–$90
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 83.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71.5
0
$25.01
$11.43
Efficient EV
59.6
0
$20.84
$9.53
EV Truck/SUV
95.3
1
$33.35
$15.24
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Salina, KS
Morning
in Salina on Monday
Local time
7:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Sunny
S 10 to 16 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Goodland, KS
Morning
in Goodland on Monday
Local time
6:06 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
20 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
4h 5m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with 100% of it occurring on roads that aren't interstates. You'll experience 232.8 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway before transitioning to local roads. Expect consistent cruising with minimal exits for extended periods, typical of a long stretch on a major highway. The shift from highway to surface roads will be noticeable as you approach your destination.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 232.8 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 Iron Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 5m 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 (West Iron Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 235.6 miles (US 24 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The longest stretch is about 232.8 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 25 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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: near the start (West Iron Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 235.6 miles (US 24 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Goodland, KS, but most travelers stay overnight.
