Origin
Kearney, NE
Evening in Kearney on Wednesday
Local time
6:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kearney, NE to Madison, NE
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 47m
Distance
143.2 mi
230 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 37m
★
6 AM
2h 48m
8 AM
3h 10m
10 AM
2h 55m
12 PM
2h 53m
3 PM
2h 56m
5 PM
3h 8m
8 PM
2h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kearney, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Madison, NE
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Trip Overview
The drive from Kearney, NE to Madison, NE covers 143.2 miles and takes about 2h 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highway 30, I 80, US 81 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 43.8 miles on Highway 30. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.20 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
71.6 miles from Kearney, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 21m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 30 | 43.8 mi | 52m |
| I 80 | 40.8 mi | 40m |
| US 81 | 24.2 mi | 26m |
| 370th Avenue | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| State Highway 22 | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| South Locust Street | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| South Gunbarrel Road | 4 mi | 5m |
| Highway 34 | 2.4 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 30
— 43.8 mi, about 52m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~824 veh/hr typical · worst 1,188
Quietest
3 AM
~106 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 94 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 Madison, 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
41 mi
·
40 min
·
I 80
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward Grand Island
7
Turn left onto South Locust Street
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
South Locust Street
8
Turn right onto US 34; N-2; I 80 Alt
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 34
9
Turn left onto Husker Highway
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
·
Husker Highway
10
Continue on South Gunbarrel Road
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
South Gunbarrel Road
11
Turn right onto US 30
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Highway 30
12
Continue on US 30
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
G Street
13
Continue on US 30
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
16th Street
14
Continue on US 30
26 mi
·
31 min
·
Highway 30
15
Turn left onto 370th Avenue
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
370th Avenue
16
Continue on Gleason Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Gleason Street
17
Turn right onto N-22
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Columbus Avenue
18
Continue on N-22
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
State Highway 22
19
At end of road, turn left onto US 81
24 mi
·
26 min
·
US 81
20
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
21
Turn left
16 ft
·
1 sec
22
Arrive at destination
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71.6 miles from Kearney, NE, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.8 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 32 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 71.6 miles or 1h 21m 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 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Madison, 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 143.2 miles and 2h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 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 Highway 30 for about 43.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
72 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 71.6 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 50.7 — 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
43.4 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward Grand Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Grand Island
4
48.3 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
US 34; N-2; I 80 Alt / Highway 34
Turn right onto US 34; N-2; I 80 Alt / Highway 34
Navigation decision point
4
50.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
Husker Highway
Turn left onto Husker Highway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.20 one way
$44.40 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
50 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $24.34 | $48.69 |
| premium | $4.93 | $27.78 | $55.57 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $31.57 | $63.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 43 | 0 | $15.04 | $6.87 |
| Efficient EV | 35.8 | 0 | $12.53 | $5.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 57.3 | 0 | $20.05 | $9.16 |
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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
Madison, NE
Evening in Madison on Wednesday
Local time
6:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Central City, NE
72 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
22 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
2h 47m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
143.2 mi in 2h 47m, mostly highway — 43.8 mi of that is on Highway 30.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.8 mi on Highway 30.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 30 and I 80. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 24th Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Kearney, NE to Madison, NE is easy. At 2h 47m with 83% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
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 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
2,151 ft
1,507 ft
Total Climb
187 ft
Total Descent
754 ft
Highest Point
2,151 ft
Elevation Range
645 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Madison, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Grand Island along the way.
Grand Island
43.4 mi in
|
~46m
About the Cities
Starting in Kearney, NE
Full guide →Kearney is a city of 34,000 people (2020) in South Central Nebraska.
Top landmarks
- • Museum of Nebraska Art — art museum in Kearney, Nebraska
- • World Theatre — movie theater in Kearney, Nebraska, United States
- • Fort Theatre — former movie theater in Kearney, Nebraska, United States
Arriving in Madison, NE
Full guide →Founded 1885
Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, is situated on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. As the anchor of the Greater Madison Area, it is home to the University of Wisconsin — Madison, one of the premier universities in the United States. It is a vibrant city known for its natural beauty, vibrant cultural scene, and academic excellence. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as hiking, biking, and exploring the city's many museums and art galleries. The city is also known for its diverse and delicious food options.
Top landmarks
- • Saint Leonard Catholic Church — church building in Madison, United States of America
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 2h 47m. Total distance: 143.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.8 miles on Highway 30. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 43.4 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 Madison, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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