Kearney to Tekamah is 216.7 miles and takes about 3h 56m via I 80 and State Highway 133, with a fuel budget near $38 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across Nebraska. With 97% of the route on highways, expect a predominantly high-speed experience. This is a solid choice for a single-day trip when you want to cover ground efficiently without much fuss.
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
108.3 miles from Kearney, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
172.5 mi
2h 58m
State Highway 133
11 mi
12m
US Highway 75
9 mi
10m
I 680
6.8 mi
7m
Highway 75
5.7 mi
8m
Highway 133
3.6 mi
4m
2nd Avenue
2.2 mi
4m
South 19th Street
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 172.5 mi, about 2h 58m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,626 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,063
Quietest
2 AM
~144 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.3×
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 Tekamah, 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
173 mi·2 hr 58 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·37 sec
Toward I 680 North
7
Continue on I 680
6.8 mi·7 min·I 680
Toward I 680 northUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 6Toward NE 133: Irvington, Blair
9
Turn straight onto N-133
0.2 mi·29 sec·Blair High Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Continue on N-133
0.4 mi·40 sec·State Highway 133
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on N-133
2.2 mi·2 min·Highway 133
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on N-133
1.2 mi·1 min·State Highway 133
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on N-133
1.4 mi·1 min·Highway 133
14
Continue on N-133
9.4 mi·10 min·State Highway 133
15
Enter roundabout onto US 30
44 ft·1 sec·South Highway 30
16
Continue on US 30
0.6 mi·1 min·South Highway 30
17
Continue on US 30
1.2 mi·2 min·South 19th Street
18
Continue on US 75
0.5 mi·49 sec·North 19th Street
19
Continue on US 75
0.7 mi·1 min·Herman Boulevard
20
Continue on US 75
8.0 mi·9 min·US Highway 75
21
Continue on US 75
0.9 mi·1 min·Main Street
22
Continue on US 75
0.9 mi·1 min·US Highway 75
23
Continue on US 75
5.7 mi·8 min·Highway 75
24
Continue on US 75
0.8 mi·1 min·South 13th Street
25
Arrive at destination
US 75
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 56m estimated drive time, this is easily a one-day trip. Aim to depart Kearney in the morning to give yourself ample time for the drive and any brief stops. The longest stretch without services is the 172.5 miles on I 80, so ensure you have sufficient fuel before embarking on that segment. With a fuel cost estimated at $38, it's a budget-friendly option for a quick transit.
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 108.3 miles from Kearney, NE, or about 1h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 172.5 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 48 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 108.3 miles or 1h 55m 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 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tekamah, 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 216.7 miles and 3h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 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 172.5 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 182.4 — 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
2.7 mi into trip|~5m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
175.2 mi into trip|~3h 4m in
Take the exit toward I 680 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 680 North
6
182.4 mi into trip|~3h 12m in
Take the exit toward NE 133: Irvington, Blair
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 6
Toward NE 133: Irvington, Blair
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.03 one way
$72.06 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$39.24
$78.49
premium
$5.18
$44.22
$88.44
diesel
$5.35
$45.64
$91.29
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: 75.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65
0
$22.75
$10.40
Efficient EV
54.2
0
$18.96
$8.67
EV Truck/SUV
86.7
1
$30.34
$13.87
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 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 May 31, 2026
Origin
Kearney, NE
Afternoon
in Kearney on Wednesday
Local time
2:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 5 to 10 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Tekamah, NE
Afternoon
in Tekamah on Wednesday
Local time
2:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSE 9 to 13 mph44% chanceLive forecast
66°F
Ashland, NE
108 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
4 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
3h 56m 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?
The vast majority of this drive, 97%, is on highways, meaning you'll spend most of your time on high-speed roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 172.5 miles on I 80 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a rural cruising feel for much of the trip, punctuated by highway exits on I 80.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 172.5 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and State Highway 133. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 24th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 56m drive. You will face about 8 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 2.7 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,151 ft1,052 ft
Total Climb
33 ft
Total Descent
1,132 ft
Highest Point
2,151 ft
Elevation Range
1,100 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 Tekamah, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Blair along the way.
The longest stretch is about 172.5 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 23 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 2.7 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Tekamah, NE, but most travelers stay overnight.
