Drive or Fly: Hastings, NE to Beatrice, NE?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for GRI–LNK. At 106 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 15m

Distance

106.9 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

43 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 51m

11m in the air

Air Distance

89 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hastings, NE → GRI 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LNK → Beatrice, NE 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Hastings, NE GRI — Central Nebraska Regional Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

Beatrice, NE LNK — Lincoln Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GRI and LNK. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 27m

1h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hastings, NE → Hastings Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 100m

Arrival 10m

Lincoln Amtrak Station → Beatrice, NE 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Hastings Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Lincoln Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~57m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 44m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0123S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hastings, NE → Grand Island Bus Station (GRI6) 32m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

Lincoln Bus Depot (LIN6) → Beatrice, NE 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From GRI6 — Grand Island Bus Station 21 mi, ~32m drive

To LIN6 — Lincoln Bus Depot 41 mi, ~62m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 15m	3h 51m	3h 27m	3h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$124	$18	$10
Carbon footprint	43 kg CO₂	23 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

106.9 mi 2h 14m

via N-4, N-74, US 6

Alternative (+22 min)

135.3 mi 2h 37m

via I 80, N-103, US 34; US 281

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hastings, NE to Beatrice, NE with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.