Origin
Washington, KS
Late night in Washington on Saturday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Washington, KS to Salina, KS
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 57m
Distance
101.9 mi
164 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 49m
★
6 AM
1h 57m
8 AM
2h 14m
10 AM
2h 3m
12 PM
2h 2m
3 PM
2h 4m
5 PM
2h 14m
8 PM
1h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washington, KS
Townsend Walton
Salina, KS
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Washington, KS to Salina, KS covers 101.9 miles and takes about 1h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 81, 17th Road, West State Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 67.7 miles on US 81. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.93 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
50.9 miles from Washington, KS
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 59m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 57m. Total distance: 101.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 57m highway drive covering 101.9 miles, with most of the trip on US 81 and 17th Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 67.7 miles on US 81.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 67.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 81 and 17th Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near US 36; K-15 / West 7th Street.
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 57m 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: at 0.3 miles (US 36; K-15 / West 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 99.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 99.8 miles (Old US 40): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 36; K-15 / West 7th Street
Turn right onto US 36; K-15 / West 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
99.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 52m in
Take the exit toward KS 140
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward KS 140
4
99.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 52m in
|
Old US 40
Turn left onto Old US 40
Navigation decision point
4
100.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 53m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
101.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 55m in
|
North College Avenue
Turn right onto North College Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 81 | 67.7 mi | 1h 13m |
| 17th Road | 31 mi | 36m |
| West State Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Iron Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 7th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| C Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Old US 40 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North College Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 81
— 67.7 mi, about 1h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washington, KS and Salina, KS.
1
Start on C Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
C Street
2
Turn right onto US 36; K-15
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
West 7th Street
3
Continue on US 36; K-15
31 mi
·
36 min
·
17th Road
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
5
Turn left onto US 81
68 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
US 81
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward KS 140
7
Turn left onto Old US 40
492 ft
·
9 sec
·
Old US 40
8
Continue on West State Street
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
West State Street
9
Keep slight right at fork
428 ft
·
9 sec
10
Turn straight onto West State Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Street
11
Turn right onto North College Avenue
379 ft
·
15 sec
·
North College Avenue
12
Turn left onto West Iron Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Iron Avenue
13
Turn right onto South 8th Street
92 ft
·
3 sec
·
South 8th Street
14
Arrive at destination
South 8th Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 50.9 miles from Washington, KS, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67.7 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 22 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 50.9 miles or 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Salina, KS than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Washington, KS so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Washington, KS
This is one driving day of about 101.9 miles and 1h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Washington, KS.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 81 for about 67.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 50.9 mi from Washington, KS · 59m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
51 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 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 50.9 miles from Washington, KS, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 81 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 67.7 miles.
Arriving in Salina, KS
The final approach into Salina, KS usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.93 one way
$31.86 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
36 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $17.49 | $34.98 |
| premium | $4.89 | $19.61 | $39.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $22.50 | $45.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 30.6 | 0 | $10.70 | $4.89 |
| Efficient EV | 25.5 | 0 | $8.92 | $4.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 40.8 | 0 | $14.27 | $6.52 |
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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.
Destination
Salina, KS
Late night in Salina on Saturday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
80°F
Concordia, KS
51 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
5 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
1h 57m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Washington, KS to Salina, KS covers 101.9 miles and takes about 1h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 81, 17th Road, West State Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 50.9 miles from Washington, KS. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.93 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 1h 57m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (US 36; K-15 / West 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 99.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 99.8 miles (Old US 40): Navigation decision point.
The route from Washington, KS to Salina, KS does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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