Salina to Saint Francis is 273 miles and takes about 5 hours and 1 minute via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and US 36, with a fuel budget near $48 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. With a recommended one-day duration, you can expect a relatively unhurried pace. This route is ideal if you're looking for a direct path with minimal detours, focusing on reaching your destination efficiently.
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
136.5 miles from Salina, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 20m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
234.8 mi
3h 54m
Commerce Road
29.9 mi
52m
US 36
4.9 mi
6m
North 9th Street
2.5 mi
5m
South Benton Street
0.3 mi
<1m
West Iron Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
South 8th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Spencer Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 234.8 mi, about 3h 54m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~463 veh/hr typical
· worst 728
Quietest
3 AM
~53 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 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 Saint Francis, 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
235 mi·3 hr 54 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward US 24 Business, KS 27, Sharon Springs, Saint Francis
7
Turn right onto US 24 Bus; KS 27
30 mi·52 min·Commerce Road
8
Turn left onto US 36; K-27
4.9 mi·6 min·US 36; K-27
9
Turn right onto RS 115
0.3 mi·51 sec·South Benton Street
10
Turn right onto Spencer Street
79 ft·3 sec·Spencer Street
11
Arrive at destination
Spencer Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour duration, starting your drive in Salina in the early morning is your best bet to maximize daylight. While this route is designed for a single day, the relatively short distance means you have flexibility if you decide to take a more leisurely pace. Plan for one primary stop, as indicated by the data, perhaps around the halfway mark or when you transition to surface roads. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the longer stretches, and remember that fuel costs are estimated at $48 for this trip. The transition from highway to surface roads around mile 235 is a good point to consider a break.
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 136.5 miles from Salina, KS, or about 2h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 234.8 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 60 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 136.5 miles or 2h 20m 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 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Francis, 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 273 miles and 5h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 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 234.8 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 273 — 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
237.6 mi into trip|~4h 1m in
Take the exit toward US 24 Business, KS 27, Sharon Springs, Saint Francis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 24 Business, KS 27, Sharon Springs, S...
4
267.7 mi into trip|~4h 54m in|US 36; K-27
Turn left onto US 36; K-27
Navigation decision point
4
273 mi into trip|~5h 1m in|Spencer Street
Turn right onto Spencer Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.32 one way
$80.63 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$44.51
$89.02
premium
$4.72
$50.69
$101.38
diesel
$4.80
$51.55
$103.10
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: 95.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
81.9
1
$28.67
$13.10
Efficient EV
68.3
0
$23.89
$10.92
EV Truck/SUV
109.2
1
$38.22
$17.47
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Salina, KS
Late night
in Salina on Sunday
Local time
1:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 8 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Saint Francis, KS
Late night
in Saint Francis on Sunday
Local time
1:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Clear
S 10 to 15 mph4% chanceLive 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
9 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
5h 1m 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?
You'll spend a good portion of your time on surface roads, with highways making up only a small percentage of this 273-mile trip. The longest stretch on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway covers 234.8 miles before you transition to Commerce Road and then US 36. Expect a rural cruising feel for much of the drive, as the majority of the route consists of surface roads rather than high-speed interstates. The highway share of 2 indicates that once you leave the main highway, the pace will naturally slow down.
Only 2% 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: 234.8 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 5h 1m 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 237.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
3,641 ft1,226 ft
Total Climb
2,415 ft
Total Descent
325 ft
Highest Point
3,641 ft
~234 mi in
Elevation Range
2,415 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Salina, KS to Saint Francis, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Sharon Springs along the way.
The longest stretch is about 234.8 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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 25 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Iron Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 237.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.0 hours each way, a round trip means 10.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Saint Francis, KS before the return drive.
