Wichita to Saint Francis is 358.7 miles and takes about 6h 27m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $56 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. You'll primarily be on surface roads after a portion on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, making it a more rural cruising experience. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short driving time, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion. Plan for a day of open horizons and the steady pace of prairie landscapes.
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
179.4 miles from Wichita, 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
233.2 mi
3h 53m
I 135
87.6 mi
1h 29m
Commerce Road
29.9 mi
52m
US 36
4.9 mi
6m
North Broadway Street
1 mi
1m
East 13th Street North
0.9 mi
1m
South Benton Street
0.3 mi
<1m
East Central Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 233.2 mi, about 3h 53m
Traffic on I-135
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 22 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,905 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,246
Quietest
2 AM
~110 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Wichita, KS and Saint Francis, KS.
1
Start on this road
359 ft·28 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto East Central Avenue
0.1 mi·20 sec·East Central Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Broadway Street
1.0 mi·1 min·North Broadway Street
4
Turn right onto East 13th Street North
0.9 mi·1 min·East 13th Street North
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·33 sec
6
Merge onto I 135; US 81; KS 15
22 mi·23 min·I 135; US 81; KS 15
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 135; US 50; US 81
2.1 mi·2 min·I 135; US 50; US 81
8
Continue on I 135; US 81
63 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 135; US 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·41 sec
Toward I 70 West: Hays
10
Merge onto I 70; US 40
233 mi·3 hr 53 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward US 24 Business, KS 27, Sharon Springs, Saint Francis
12
Turn right onto US 24 Bus; KS 27
30 mi·52 min·Commerce Road
13
Turn left onto US 36; K-27
4.9 mi·6 min·US 36; K-27
14
Turn right onto RS 115
0.3 mi·51 sec·South Benton Street
15
Turn right onto Spencer Street
79 ft·3 sec·Spencer Street
16
Arrive at destination
Spencer Street
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 27m duration, starting early from Wichita is advisable to maximize daylight. You have flexibility with only one recommended stop, allowing you to break up the drive as needed. Keep track of fuel, especially on the surface road portions where stations might be more spread out. The longest stretch on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway is over 233 miles, so ensure you have enough fuel before embarking on that segment. This is a manageable drive for one day, but if you prefer a more relaxed pace, consider an overnight stop along the way.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 179.4 miles from Wichita, KS, or about 3h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 233.2 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 79 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 179.4 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 5h 3m
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 Wichita, 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 Wichita, KS
This is one driving day of about 358.7 miles and 6h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 79 miles from Wichita, 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 233.2 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 323.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East Central Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto East Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|East 13th Street North
Turn right onto East 13th Street North
Navigation decision point
5
2.3 mi into trip|~4m in|I 135; US 81; KS 15
Merge onto I 135; US 81; KS 15
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
89.9 mi into trip|~1h 33m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Hays
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 70 West: Hays
5
323.3 mi into trip|~5h 27m 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...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$56.50 one way
$113.00 round trip
$4.00/gal25.4 MPG avg126 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.37
$61.71
$123.43
premium
$4.73
$66.75
$133.51
diesel
$6.06
$85.59
$171.19
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$57
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$82–$107
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
107.6
1
$37.66
$17.22
Efficient EV
89.7
1
$31.39
$14.35
EV Truck/SUV
143.5
1
$50.22
$22.96
Gas CO2
126 kg
EV CO2
42 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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Wichita, KS
Morning
in Wichita on Saturday
Local time
10:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
34°F
Areas Of Frost
N 2 to 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 1:31AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Topeka KS
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 10:30PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS
Destination
Saint Francis, KS
Morning
in Saint Francis on Saturday
Local time
10:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
28°F
Clear
S 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 1:31AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Topeka KS
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 10:30PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Dodge City KS
60°F
Lincoln, KS
179 mi in
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
6 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
6h 27m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 route has a 26% highway share, meaning much of your drive will be on surface roads. You'll spend the longest stretch, 233.2 miles, on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway before transitioning to other roads. Expect rural cruising for the majority of the trip, with fewer exits and a more consistent speed once you're off the main highway. The profile is mostly surface roads, so keep an eye out for changing speed limits and local traffic.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 233.2 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 around 0.1 miles in near East Central Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 27m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 11 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (East 13th Street North): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (I 135; US 81; KS 15): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
3,589 ft1,292 ft
Total Climb
2,493 ft
Total Descent
477 ft
Highest Point
3,589 ft
~333.1 mi in
Elevation Range
2,297 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 Wichita, KS to Saint Francis, KS, road signs begin pointing toward Sharon Springs along the way.
Wichita is the largest city in Kansas — since Kansas City is divided between the states of Kansas and Missouri. It is not the biggest or flashiest city in the US, but it is a medium-sized city with a small-town feel. It offers much to tourists with its variety of attractions.
=== Tourist information ===
Visit Wichita website
Top landmarks
•Wichita Scottish Rite Center — masonic building, theater and events venue in Wichita, Kansas, United States
•B. H. Campbell House — historic home in Wichita, Kansas
•Carey House — historic building in Wichita, Kansas
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 233.2 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 30 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Saint Francis, KS before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 30 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (East 13th Street North): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (I 135; US 81; KS 15): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.5 hours each way, a round trip means 12.9 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.
