The drive from Concordia, KS to Fort Dodge, KS covers 209 miles and takes about 4h 6m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on KS 156, 140th Road, East 10th Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 51.8 miles on KS 156.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.67 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
104.5 miles from Concordia, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 55m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 6m. Total distance: 209 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Concordia, KS to Fort Dodge, KS covers 209 miles and takes about 4h 6m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
KS 156 is the longest continuous segment at about 51.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near State Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 6m drive. You will face about 16 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 (State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (US 81 / Lincoln Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|State Street
Turn right onto State Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|West 6th Street
Turn right onto West 6th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|US 81 / Lincoln Street
Turn right onto US 81 / Lincoln Street
Navigation decision point
5
74.2 mi into trip|~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward KS 156, Ellsworth, Great Bend
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward KS 156, Ellsworth, Great Bend
5
207.2 mi into trip|~4h 4m in|US 400
Turn sharp right onto US 400
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Concordia, KS and Fort Dodge, KS, road signs point toward Ellsworth and Great Bend.
Ellsworth
74.2 mi in|~1h 19m
Great Bend
74.2 mi in|~1h 19m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
KS 156
51.8 mi
1h 2m
140th Road
44.1 mi
46m
East 10th Street
29.3 mi
34m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
25 mi
24m
Northeast Trail Street
24.3 mi
29m
US 56
19.3 mi
23m
117 Road
3.9 mi
7m
145th Road
3.1 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
KS 156
— 51.8 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Concordia, KS and Fort Dodge, KS.
1
Start on this road
119 ft·10 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto State Street
197 ft·10 sec·State Street
3
Turn right onto West 6th Street
0.3 mi·59 sec·West 6th Street
4
Turn right onto US 81
1.1 mi·2 min·Lincoln Street
5
Continue on US 81
3.1 mi·3 min·145th Road
6
Continue on US 81
44 mi·46 min·140th Road
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi·46 sec
Toward I 70 West: Hays
8
Merge onto I 70; US 40
25 mi·24 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward KS 156, Ellsworth, Great Bend
10
Turn left onto KS 156
48 mi·56 min·KS 156
11
Take the ramp onto KS 156
3.8 mi·6 min·KS 156
12
Turn left onto US 281
0.4 mi·38 sec·Main Street
13
Turn right onto Railroad Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·Railroad Avenue
14
Turn left onto Railroad Avenue
2.1 mi·5 min·Railroad Avenue
15
At end of road, turn left onto US 56; KS 156
19 mi·23 min·US 56; KS 156
16
Turn left onto US 56
0.8 mi·52 sec·Broadway Street
17
Turn right onto US 56
24 mi·29 min·Northeast Trail Street
18
Turn left onto US 183
0.5 mi·47 sec·Niles Avenue
19
Turn right onto US 50
29 mi·34 min·East 10th Street
20
Turn left onto 117 Road
3.9 mi·7 min·117 Road
21
Turn sharp right onto US 400
1.7 mi·2 min·US 400
22
Turn left
343 ft·14 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
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 104.5 miles from Concordia, KS, or about 1h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.8 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 46 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 104.5 miles or 1h 55m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Dodge, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Concordia, 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 Concordia, KS
This is one driving day of about 209 miles and 4h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Concordia, 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 KS 156 for about 51.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 104.5 mi from Concordia, KS
· 1h 55m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.67 one way
$65.35 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$35.88
$71.75
premium
$4.89
$40.22
$80.44
diesel
$5.61
$46.14
$92.29
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
1 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: sparse
EVgo Charging Station
Salina, Kansas
EVgo
1 DCFC
EVgo: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.7
0
$21.94
$10.03
Efficient EV
52.3
0
$18.29
$8.36
EV Truck/SUV
83.6
1
$29.26
$13.38
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Concordia, KS
Late night
in Concordia on Saturday
Local time
5:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Dodge, KS
Late night
in Fort Dodge on Saturday
Local time
5:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live 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
7 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 6m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Concordia, KS to Fort Dodge, KS covers 209 miles and takes about 4h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are KS 156, 140th Road, East 10th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 104.5 miles from Concordia, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $32.67 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 6m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (US 81 / Lincoln Street): Navigation decision point.
Between Concordia, KS and Fort Dodge, KS, road signs point toward Ellsworth and Great Bend.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
