Kearney to Blair is 200.1 miles and takes about 3h 35m via I 80 and State Highway 133, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains, offering a straightforward drive across Nebraska. Given its relatively short length and predominantly highway profile, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
100.1 miles from Kearney, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 46m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
172.5 mi
2h 58m
State Highway 133
11 mi
12m
I 680
6.8 mi
7m
Highway 133
3.6 mi
4m
2nd Avenue
2.2 mi
4m
South 19th Street
0.9 mi
1m
South Highway 30
0.6 mi
1m
South Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 172.5 mi, about 2h 58m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 100 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,636 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,151
Quietest
2 AM
~147 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.1×
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 Kearney, NE and Blair, NE.
1
Start on Central Avenue
51 ft·3 sec·Central Avenue
2
Turn right onto West 24th Street
0.1 mi·32 sec·West 24th Street
3
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue
2.2 mi·4 min·2nd Avenue
4
Turn left
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 80 East
5
Merge onto I 80
173 mi·2 hr 58 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·37 sec
Toward I 680 North
7
Continue on I 680
6.8 mi·7 min·I 680
Toward I 680 northUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 6Toward NE 133: Irvington, Blair
9
Turn straight onto N-133
0.2 mi·29 sec·Blair High Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Continue on N-133
0.4 mi·40 sec·State Highway 133
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on N-133
2.2 mi·2 min·Highway 133
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on N-133
1.2 mi·1 min·State Highway 133
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on N-133
1.4 mi·1 min·Highway 133
14
Continue on N-133
9.4 mi·10 min·State Highway 133
15
Enter roundabout onto US 30
44 ft·1 sec·South Highway 30
16
Continue on US 30
0.6 mi·1 min·South Highway 30
17
Continue on US 30
0.9 mi·1 min·South 19th Street
18
Turn right onto South Street
0.5 mi·59 sec·South Street
19
Turn left onto US 75
0.3 mi·28 sec·South 13th Street
20
Turn right onto US 30
0.2 mi·43 sec·Washington Street
21
Turn left onto North 10th Street
317 ft·7 sec·North 10th Street
22
Turn right onto Front Street
389 ft·17 sec·Front Street
23
Arrive at destination
Front Street
Trip Plan
This is a manageable one-day drive, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning will give you plenty of daylight to complete the 200.1 miles. With a fuel cost estimated around $32, it's wise to fill up before you leave Kearney or at a major exit along I 80. You'll cover 172.5 miles on I 80 before encountering smaller state highways, so plan a break before this long segment or shortly after exiting the interstate.
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 100.1 miles from Kearney, NE, or about 1h 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 172.5 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 44 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.1 miles or 1h 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Blair, NE than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kearney, NE 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 Kearney, NE
This is one driving day of about 200.1 miles and 3h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Kearney, NE.
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 I 80 for about 172.5 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 200 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West 24th Street
Turn right onto West 24th Street
Navigation decision point
4
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in
Turn left toward I 80 East
Navigation decision point
Toward I 80 East
5
2.7 mi into trip|~5m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
182.4 mi into trip|~3h 12m in
Take the exit toward NE 133: Irvington, Blair
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 6
Toward NE 133: Irvington, Blair
5
200 mi into trip|~3h 34m in|North 10th Street
Turn left onto North 10th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.18 one way
$54.36 round trip
$3.45/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.85
$30.33
$60.66
premium
$4.15
$32.69
$65.39
diesel
$3.75
$29.54
$59.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70 kg one way.
EV Charging Along Route
19 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
ChargePoint Charging Station
Omaha, Nebraska
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Omaha, Nebraska
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
EVgo Charging Station
Omaha, Nebraska
EVgo
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Omaha, Nebraska
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Waverly, Nebraska
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Omaha, Nebraska
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Blair, Nebraska
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Omaha, Nebraska
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 14
EV Connect: 3
EVgo: 1
Blink: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60
0
$21.01
$9.60
Efficient EV
50
0
$17.51
$8.00
EV Truck/SUV
80
1
$28.01
$12.81
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Kearney, NE
Morning
in Kearney on Monday
Local time
8:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
41°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Blair, NE
Morning
in Blair on Monday
Local time
8:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Partly Cloudy
S 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
68°F
Lincoln, NE
100 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
2 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
3h 35m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 be on highways for 97% of this 200.1-mile drive. The longest continuous stretch on I 80 covers 172.5 miles. Expect to transition from the interstate to surface roads as you approach your destination, with the final leg on State Highway 133 and I 680. The high percentage of highway driving means you'll encounter frequent exit ramps and potentially higher traffic volumes in certain sections.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 172.5 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and State Highway 133. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 24th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 35m drive. You will face about 13 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 (West 24th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 172.5 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 23 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NE can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 24th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Blair, NE, but most travelers stay overnight.
