Origin
Salina, KS
Late night in Salina on Sunday
Local time
3:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Salina, KS to Junction City, 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
Unknown
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.
Salina, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Junction City, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Salina, KS to Junction City, KS is 48.2 miles and takes about 55 minutes via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip that keeps you within the Great Plains region for its entirety. Given its short duration and local road feel, it's ideal for a quick transit or a leisurely afternoon drive rather than an overnight adventure. You'll find the journey primarily on well-maintained highways, making it an easy drive for most vehicles.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 22.1 mi | 22m |
| Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway | 21.4 mi | 21m |
| North 9th Street | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| South Washington Street | 1.6 mi | 4m |
| 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
— 22.1 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salina, KS and Junction City, 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
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
North 9th Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 70 East: Topeka
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 70; US 40
22 mi
·
22 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
6
Continue on I 70; US 40
21 mi
·
21 min
·
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto US 40 Business
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
US 40 Business
Toward US 40 Business
8
Turn left onto US 40 Business
471 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Washington Street
9
Enter roundabout onto US 40 Business
134 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Washington Street
10
Continue on US 40 Business
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
South Washington Street
11
Turn left onto West 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
West 6th Street
12
Turn right onto North Jefferson Street
130 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Jefferson Street
13
Arrive at destination
North Jefferson 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 Salina, 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.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Iron Avenue
Turn left onto West Iron Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 East: Topeka
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 70 East: Topeka
4
46.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
US 40 Business
Take the exit onto US 40 Business toward US 40 Business
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 40 Business
5
46.6 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
US 40 Business / South Washington Street
Enter roundabout onto US 40 Business / South Washington Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
48.1 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
North Jefferson Street
Turn right onto North Jefferson 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
Junction City, KS
Late night in Junction City on Sunday
Local time
3:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°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 cooler 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?
This route has a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you'll likely encounter more intersections and directional changes than a pure highway sprint. With 0% highway share, expect a more ground-level experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 22.1 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, offering a brief period of consistent travel before you navigate local roads. The drive progresses by transitioning from highway segments to more involved local routes as you approach your destination.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.1 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 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 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 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 46.2 miles (US 40 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Arriving 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 22.1 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 Iron Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 46.2 miles (US 40 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Junction City, 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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