Kearney to Kimball is 254.4 miles and takes about 4h 18m via I 80, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Nebraska, traversing the Great Plains region from start to finish. Given its mostly highway profile and single day recommendation, it's a straightforward trip best suited for those looking for efficient travel between these two points. You'll spend the vast majority of your time on the interstate, making it a practical choice for a quick transit.
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
127.2 miles from Kearney, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
249.1 mi
4h 9m
2nd Avenue
1.9 mi
4m
East 3rd Street
1.1 mi
1m
South Highway 71
1 mi
1m
Link 53E
0.4 mi
<1m
West 24th Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Central Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
South Chesnut Street
<0.1 mi
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 249.1 mi, about 4h 9m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 92 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~482 veh/hr typical
· worst 753
Quietest
3 AM
~80 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
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 Kimball, 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
1.9 mi·4 min·2nd Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·53 sec
Toward I 80 West
5
Merge onto I 80
168 mi·2 hr 48 min·I 80
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
81 mi·1 hr 20 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: Sidney, Cheyanne
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward NE 71 North: Gering, Scottsbluff
8
Turn right onto N-71
1.0 mi·1 min·South Highway 71
9
Turn left onto L-53E
0.1 mi·15 sec·Link 53E
Toward US 30Use the left lane.
10
Enter roundabout onto L-53E
13 ft·0 sec·Link 53E
Toward US 30
11
Continue on L-53E
0.3 mi·33 sec·Link 53E
Toward US 30
12
At end of road, turn left onto US 30; I 80 Alt
1.1 mi·1 min·East 3rd Street
13
Turn right onto South Chesnut Street
43 ft·0 sec·South Chesnut Street
14
Arrive at destination
South Chesnut Street
Trip Plan
For this 4h 18m drive, leaving Kearney in the morning will give you ample time to reach Kimball before evening. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost estimated at $39, you can plan your budget accordingly. The majority of your travel will be on I 80, so keep an eye on exit numbers to gauge your progress. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility; however, ensure you have enough fuel before embarking on the longest 249.1-mile stretch on the interstate, as services can be spread out.
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 127.2 miles from Kearney, NE, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 249.1 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 56 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.2 miles or 2h 10m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kimball, 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 254.4 miles and 4h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 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 249.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway reset
3.1 mi from route
~8 min detour
$10 to $20
Ogallala, Nebraska
Hours: 11 am–8 pm
+13082840899
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 253 — 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
5
2.5 mi into trip|~5m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
170.9 mi into trip|~2h 53m in|I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Sidney, Cheyanne
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 West: Sidney, Cheyanne
5
251.6 mi into trip|~4h 14m in
Take the exit toward NE 71 North: Gering, Scottsbluff
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NE 71 North: Gering, Scottsbluff
6
253 mi into trip|~4h 16m in|L-53E / Link 53E
Enter roundabout onto L-53E / Link 53E toward US 30
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward US 30
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.44 one way
$84.87 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg89 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$46.30
$92.61
premium
$5.25
$52.61
$105.23
diesel
$6.28
$62.86
$125.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.3
0
$26.71
$12.21
Efficient EV
63.6
0
$22.26
$10.18
EV Truck/SUV
101.8
1
$35.62
$16.28
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Friday
Local time
6:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Sunny
SSE 0 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Kimball, NE
Late night
in Kimball on Friday
Local time
5:03 AM
MDT
Current temp
66°F
Sunny
ENE 0 to 10 mph1% chanceLive 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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 18m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is primarily an interstate cruise, with 98% of the 254.4 miles on highways. You'll encounter 2nd Avenue and East 3rd Street for the final 2 miles as you approach Kimball. The longest continuous stretch on I 80 is an impressive 249.1 miles, so expect long, open stretches of highway. The sheer length of this interstate segment means you'll notice a consistent pattern of exits and services without significant changes in terrain.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 249.1 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and 2nd Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 24th 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 18m drive. You will face about 11 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 2.5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 170.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
4,716 ft2,151 ft
Total Climb
2,565 ft
Total Descent
0 ft
Highest Point
4,716 ft
~254.4 mi in
Elevation Range
2,565 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Kearney, NE to Kimball, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Cheyanne along the way.
Kimball is a very small town in Kimball County, which is in the Nebraska Panhandle. As of the 2010 U.S. census the population was 2,569 people, all living within 2.71 square miles.
The longest stretch is about 249.1 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 20 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 2.5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 170.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Kimball, NE, but most travelers stay overnight.
