Origin
Kearney, NE
Late night in Kearney on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kearney, NE to Hastings, NE
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
50.2 mi
81 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kearney, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Hastings, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 50.2 miles across the Nebraska Great Plains, this route between Kearney and Hastings is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, it functions perfectly as a quick day trip, meaning you do not need to worry about overnight accommodations. You can expect to spend roughly $8 on fuel for the trek, making it an affordable option for travelers. The drive keeps you within the same region, ensuring a consistent landscape as you move from one Great Plains town to the next. It is a practical, no-fuss connection that is ideal if you are looking to get from point A to point B without any unnecessary complications.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Highway 6 | 16 mi | 18m |
| I 80 | 12.3 mi | 12m |
| 40 Road | 6 mi | 8m |
| Senator Carl T. Curtis Drive | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Lowell Road | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| W Road | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| 2nd Avenue | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| West 2nd Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
West Highway 6
— 16 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kearney, NE and Hastings, 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
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 80
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward NE 10C Link: Gibbon
7
Turn right onto Lowell Road
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Lowell Road
8
Turn left onto W Road
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
W Road
9
Turn right onto 40 Road
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
40 Road
10
Turn left onto Q Road
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Q Road
11
Continue on Q Road
136 ft
·
7 sec
·
Q Road
12
Turn left onto US 6; US 34
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Senator Carl T. Curtis Drive
13
Continue on US 6; US 34
14 mi
·
16 min
·
West Highway 6
14
Enter roundabout onto US 6; US 34
146 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Highway 6
15
Continue on US 6; US 34
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Highway 6
16
Turn left onto South Marian Road
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
South Marian Road
17
Turn right onto US 6 Business
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
West 2nd Street
18
Turn left onto North Kansas Avenue
334 ft
·
22 sec
·
North Kansas Avenue
19
Turn left onto US 6 Business
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
West 3rd Street
20
Arrive at destination
US 6 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.1 miles from Kearney, NE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 50 — 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
4
15 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward NE 10C Link: Gibbon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward NE 10C Link: Gibbon
4
15.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Lowell Road
Turn right onto Lowell Road
Navigation decision point
5
50 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
US 6 Business / West 3rd Street
Turn left onto US 6 Business / West 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.85 one way
$15.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.62 | $17.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.66 | $19.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.08 | $22.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.27 | $2.41 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.39 | $2.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.1 | 0 | $7.03 | $3.21 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Hastings, NE
Late night in Hastings on Tuesday
Local time
4:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
30°F
Partly Cloudy
NNW 10 to 25 mph
7% chance
Live forecast
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
26 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
1h 4m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip offers a mixed driving profile that transitions between high-speed interstate travel and more localized roadways. With 56% of the journey spent on highways, you will encounter a blend of fast-paced stretches and more relaxed driving conditions. Your longest uninterrupted segment occurs on West Highway 6, which lasts for 16 miles. As you navigate the 50.2-mile distance, you will find yourself moving between I-80 and secondary routes like 40 Road. The character of the road is functional and direct, providing a steady pace that allows you to settle in behind the wheel without the fatigue of a long-haul interstate grind.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16 mi on West Highway 6.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 West 24th Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 4m drive. You will face about 14 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 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Starting in Kearney, NE
Full guide →Kearney is a city of 34,000 people (2020) in South Central Nebraska.
Arriving in Hastings, NE
Full guide →Hastings is a city in South Central Nebraska.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 50.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16 miles on West Highway 6. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
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 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hastings, NE before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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