Origin
Salina, KS
Late night in Salina on Tuesday
Local time
3:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Salina, KS to Kechi, 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
1h 29m
Distance
82.2 mi
132 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 23m
★
6 AM
1h 30m
8 AM
1h 44m
10 AM
1h 35m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 43m
8 PM
1h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salina, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Kechi, KS
Tien Nguyen
Trip Overview
Salina, KS to Kechi, KS is 82.2 miles and takes about 1h 29m via I 135, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily on the interstate, connecting two points within the Great Plains region of Kansas. You'll find this drive to be efficient, with most of your journey on a major highway. It's a practical option if you're looking for a quick connection between these two Kansas locations without much fuss. Plan for a simple, direct transit through the heartland.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 135 | 75.4 mi | 1h 16m |
| East 61st Street North | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| South Santa Fe Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| South 9th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West Magnolia Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Claflin Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Iron Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 8th Street | <0.1 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 Kechi, 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
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
East 61st Street North
14
Arrive at destination
East 61st Street North
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 41.1 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 79.3 — 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
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Santa Fe Avenue
Turn right onto South Santa Fe 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.85 one way
$25.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $14.11 | $28.22 |
| premium | $4.89 | $15.82 | $31.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.15 | $36.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.7 | 0 | $8.63 | $3.95 |
| Efficient EV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.19 | $3.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.9 | 0 | $11.51 | $5.26 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Kechi, KS
Late night in Kechi on Tuesday
Local time
3:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°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
16 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 29m 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 trip is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 92% of the route utilizing high-speed roads. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 75.4 miles on I 135, offering a consistent pace for most of your journey. Expect a steady drive with minimal traffic interruptions as you travel south through the Great Plains. The transition to East 61st Street North and South Santa Fe Avenue will mark the final segment, bringing you into Kechi.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 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?
3/10
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
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 29m 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 Iron Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South Santa Fe Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (West Claflin Avenue): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting 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 1h 29m. Total distance: 82.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). 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 0.1 miles (South Santa Fe Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (West Claflin Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kechi, 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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