Soldier, KS to Colby, KS is 323.6 miles and takes about 5h 47m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily stays within the Great Plains region, keeping you on familiar ground throughout your trip. Expect a mostly surface road experience once you leave the main highway, offering a more grounded perspective on Kansas. It's a straightforward, single-day option if you're looking for a direct route across the state.
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
161.8 miles from Soldier, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
220.8 mi
3h 40m
KS 16
27.9 mi
35m
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
27.7 mi
27m
K-13
14.6 mi
18m
Fort Riley Boulevard
11.1 mi
12m
230 Road
6 mi
7m
North Seth Child Road
5.6 mi
8m
E Road
4.8 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 220.8 mi, about 3h 40m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~527 veh/hr typical
· worst 798
Quietest
3 AM
~59 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 103 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 Soldier, KS and Colby, KS.
1
Start on Jackson Street
397 ft·7 sec·Jackson Street
2
Turn slight right onto KS 62
0.2 mi·22 sec·1st Street
3
Continue on KS 62
4.8 mi·8 min·E Road
4
Turn right onto KS 16
6.0 mi·7 min·230 Road
5
Turn right onto KS 63
1.0 mi·1 min·State Highway 63
6
Turn left onto KS 16
19 mi·25 min·KS 16
7
At end of road, turn left onto KS 16; KS 99
0.4 mi·31 sec·KS 16; KS 99
8
Turn right onto KS 16
8.2 mi·9 min·KS 16
9
Continue on K-13
15 mi·18 min·K-13
10
Enter roundabout onto US 24
90 ft·1 sec·Tuttle Creek Boulevard
11
Continue on US 24
0.9 mi·1 min·Tuttle Creek Boulevard
12
Enter roundabout onto K-113
322 ft·3 sec·North Seth Child Road
13
Continue on K-113
5.5 mi·8 min·North Seth Child Road
Use the left lane.
14
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward KS 18 West: Fort Riley Boulevard WestUse the right lane.
Given this is a single-day drive, leaving Soldier, KS in the morning will allow ample time to reach Colby, KS with a comfortable pace. The route is estimated at just under six hours, so plan for one stop to stretch your legs and grab a snack. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially when you transition from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway to KS 16 and other surface roads, as services might be more spaced out. With a fuel cost estimated around $50, it's an economical trip, so you have flexibility to stop a bit longer if needed.
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 161.8 miles from Soldier, KS, or about 3h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 220.8 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 71 miles or 1h 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 161.8 miles or 3h 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 4h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Colby, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Soldier, 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 Soldier, KS
This is one driving day of about 323.6 miles and 5h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 71 miles from Soldier, 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 220.8 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 31.5 and 321.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
31.5 mi into trip|~43m in|KS 16; KS 99
At end of road, turn left onto KS 16; KS 99
Navigation decision point
5
61.1 mi into trip|~1h 20m in
Take the ramp toward KS 18 West: Fort Riley Boulevard West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward KS 18 West: Fort Riley Boulevard West
5
72.4 mi into trip|~1h 33m in|KS 18
Take the exit onto KS 18 toward I-70 West, Salina
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-70 West, Salina
5
72.7 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|I 70; US 40; KS 18 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Merge onto I 70; US 40; KS 18 / Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
321.2 mi into trip|~5h 42m in
Take the exit toward KS 25, Atwood, Leoti
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward KS 25, Atwood, Leoti
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.73 one way
$101.46 round trip
$3.98/gal25.4 MPG avg113 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.33
$55.16
$110.33
premium
$4.70
$59.84
$119.68
diesel
$6.08
$77.46
$154.92
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 113.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
97.1
1
$33.98
$15.53
Efficient EV
80.9
0
$28.32
$12.94
EV Truck/SUV
129.4
1
$45.30
$20.71
Gas CO2
113 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (66% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Soldier, KS
Afternoon
in Soldier on Monday
Local time
2:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Clear
S 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Colby, KS
Afternoon
in Colby on Monday
Local time
2:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Mostly Cloudy
W 5 mph0% 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
3 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 47m 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 small portion of this drive on highways, with about 9% of the total mileage on major roads like the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 220.8 miles, so you'll have a solid block of highway cruising before transitioning to surface roads. The profile indicates mostly surface roads, meaning you'll likely encounter more local traffic and lower speed limits after leaving the interstate.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 220.8 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 around 31.5 miles in near KS 16; KS 99.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 47m drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 31.5 miles (KS 16; KS 99): Navigation decision point; at 61.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 72.4 miles (KS 18): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
3,158 ft1,058 ft
Total Climb
2,328 ft
Total Descent
392 ft
Highest Point
3,158 ft
~323.6 mi in
Elevation Range
2,100 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 Soldier, KS to Colby, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Salina along the way.
The longest stretch is about 220.8 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 27 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 27 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 31.5 miles (KS 16; KS 99): Navigation decision point; at 61.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 72.4 miles (KS 18): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.8 hours each way, a round trip means 11.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Colby, KS before the return drive.
