Kearney to South Sioux City is 233.6 miles and takes about 4h 38m via Highway 30 and I-80, with a fuel budget near $36 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Nebraska, traversing the Great Plains region. It's primarily a highway drive, so expect straightforward travel with minimal detours. Given the relatively short distance and duration, it's well-suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay.
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
116.8 miles from Kearney, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 17m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Highway 35
60 mi
1h 13m
Highway 30
43.8 mi
52m
I 80
40.8 mi
40m
US 81
38.7 mi
42m
370th Avenue
8.9 mi
10m
State Highway 22
7.8 mi
9m
East Highway 35
6.9 mi
8m
South Locust Street
4.4 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Highway 35
— 60 mi, about 1h 13m
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
12a6anoon6p11p
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 South Sioux City, 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
39 mi·42 min·US 81
20
Turn right onto US 275
2.3 mi·2 min·West Omaha Avenue
21
Turn left onto N-35
1.1 mi·1 min·Highway 35
22
Enter roundabout onto N-35
21 ft·0 sec·Highway 35
23
Continue on N-35
22 mi·26 min·Highway 35
24
At end of road, turn right onto N-35
7.0 mi·8 min·Highway 35
25
Continue on N-35
2.1 mi·4 min·West 7th Street
26
Continue on N-35
6.9 mi·8 min·East Highway 35
27
Continue on N-35
1.8 mi·2 min·Highway 35
28
Continue on N-35
0.6 mi·51 sec·Oak Street
29
Continue on N-35
1.6 mi·2 min·Highway 35
30
Continue on N-9; N-35
27 mi·32 min·Highway 35
31
Turn left onto US 75; US 77
3.9 mi·5 min·Highway 77
Use the left lane.
32
Turn right onto West 21st Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West 21st Street
33
Turn left onto US 20 Business
0.3 mi·51 sec·Dakota Avenue
34
Arrive at destination
US 20 Business
Trip Plan
For this 4h 38m drive, consider leaving in the morning to maximize daylight. The route is manageable in a single day, so you have flexibility with stops. You'll cover 233.6 miles, with a fuel cost estimated around $36. Pay attention to the transition from Highway 30 to I-80, as this is where the longest stretch on surface roads will likely occur. Since it's not an overly long drive, you can afford to take a short break midway if needed.
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 116.8 miles from Kearney, NE, or about 2h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60 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 51 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 116.8 miles or 2h 17m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Sioux City, 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 233.6 miles and 4h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 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 35 for about 60 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 182 — 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
5
182 mi into trip|~3h 32m in|N-35 / Highway 35
At end of road, turn right onto N-35 / Highway 35
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.22 one way
$72.43 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg82 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$39.71
$79.42
premium
$4.93
$45.32
$90.64
diesel
$5.60
$51.49
$102.99
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 81.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
70.1
0
$24.53
$11.21
Efficient EV
58.4
0
$20.44
$9.34
EV Truck/SUV
93.4
1
$32.70
$14.95
Gas CO2
82 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% 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 Aug 15, 2026
Origin
Kearney, NE
Night
in Kearney on Wednesday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NNE 0 to 5 mph46% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued August 14 at 11:16AM MDT until August 14 at 10:00PM MDT by NWS Cheyenne WY
Destination
South Sioux City, NE
Night
in South Sioux City on Wednesday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Cloudy then Patchy Fog
E 5 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued August 14 at 11:16AM MDT until August 14 at 10:00PM MDT by NWS Cheyenne WY
67°F
Norfolk, NE
117 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 38m 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?
You'll spend about 87% of this 233.6-mile trip on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a non-interstate road is 60 miles on Highway 35. The profile is mostly highway, meaning you'll experience consistent cruising speeds for the majority of the journey. Expect a relatively rural feel with fewer exits once you transition off the main interstate.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60 mi on Highway 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 35 and Highway 30. 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 38m drive. You will face about 16 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 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,151 ft1,102 ft
Total Climb
256 ft
Total Descent
1,305 ft
Highest Point
2,151 ft
Elevation Range
1,049 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 South Sioux City, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Grand Island along the way.
The longest stretch is about 60 miles on Highway 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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.
Possible but tiring. At 4.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.3 hours — manageable with a long break at South Sioux City, NE, but most travelers stay overnight.
