Kearney to Springfield is 169.7 miles and takes about 3h 1m via I 80 and local roads, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Nebraska's Great Plains region, offering a straightforward transition from one part of the state to another. Most of the route is on the interstate, making it a quick and efficient trip. It's a good option if you're looking for a direct connection between these two locations without extensive detours. Plan for a relatively easy day of driving to reach your destination.
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
84.8 miles from Kearney, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
159.7 mi
2h 44m
Platteview Road
6 mi
8m
2nd Avenue
2.2 mi
4m
State Highway 50
0.5 mi
<1m
South Highway 31
0.3 mi
<1m
Main Street
0.2 mi
<1m
West 24th Street
0.1 mi
<1m
North 1st Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 159.7 mi, about 2h 44m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 46 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,200 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,622
Quietest
2 AM
~125 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Springfield, 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
160 mi·2 hr 44 min·I 80
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward NE 31: Gretna, Louisville
7
Keep slight right at fork
302 ft·7 sec
8
Turn straight onto N-31
0.3 mi·29 sec·South Highway 31
9
Turn left onto Platteview Road
6.0 mi·8 min·Platteview Road
10
Turn right onto N-50
0.5 mi·44 sec·State Highway 50
11
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi·40 sec·Main Street
12
Turn left onto North 1st Street
53 ft·2 sec·North 1st Street
13
Arrive at destination
North 1st Street
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of 3 hours, leaving Kearney in the morning will easily get you to Springfield with plenty of daylight remaining. With only 169.7 miles and a fuel cost around $30, you have flexibility in timing your departure and any brief stops. The longest stretch is 159.7 miles on I 80, so consider a quick stretch break before you get on that long segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach Springfield, as services might become less frequent on the final local road portions.
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 84.8 miles from Kearney, NE, or about 1h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 159.7 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 37 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.8 miles or 1h 30m 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 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Springfield, 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 169.7 miles and 3h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 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 159.7 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 169.7 — 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
5
162.3 mi into trip|~2h 50m in
Take the exit toward NE 31: Gretna, Louisville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NE 31: Gretna, Louisville
5
162.6 mi into trip|~2h 50m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
169.7 mi into trip|~3h 1m in|North 1st Street
Turn left onto North 1st Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.21 one way
$56.43 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$30.73
$61.47
premium
$5.18
$34.63
$69.26
diesel
$5.35
$35.74
$71.49
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.9
0
$17.82
$8.15
Efficient EV
42.4
0
$14.85
$6.79
EV Truck/SUV
67.9
0
$23.76
$10.86
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Forecast as of Jun 3, 2026
Origin
Kearney, NE
Afternoon
in Kearney on Wednesday
Local time
2:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 10 to 15 mph33% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Springfield, NE
Afternoon
in Springfield on Wednesday
Local time
2:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Partly Cloudy
SE 7 mph6% 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
5 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 1m 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?
This route is 95% highway, with the vast majority of your driving, a continuous 159.7 miles, occurring on I 80. You'll experience consistent interstate cruising for most of the trip. The shift to local roads happens near the end, with Platteview Road and 2nd Avenue taking you the final miles. Expect minimal changes in terrain and a steady driving pace until the last section.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 159.7 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and Platteview Road. 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 3h 1m drive. You will face about 9 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 162.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The longest stretch is about 159.7 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 17 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 162.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Springfield, NE, but most travelers stay overnight.
