This 427.5-mile drive from La Vista, Nebraska, to Kimball, Nebraska, is a straightforward, highway-focused journey across the Great Plains. You can expect to spend about 7 hours and 19 minutes on the road, making it a feasible day trip, though you'll want to start early to make the most of your daylight. The primary route is I-80, accounting for 98% of your travel, with a fuel cost estimated at $67. With two recommended stops, this drive offers a direct path through the heart of Nebraska.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
213.7 miles from La Vista, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 41m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
419.4 mi
7h 4m
Harrison Street
3.6 mi
6m
East 3rd Street
1.1 mi
1m
South Highway 71
1 mi
1m
Park View Boulevard
0.5 mi
1m
Link 53E
0.4 mi
<1m
Giles Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Lillian Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 419.4 mi, about 7h 4m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 94 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,089 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,424
Quietest
2 AM
~114 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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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 La Vista, NE and Kimball, NE.
1
Start on Lillian Avenue
0.2 mi·55 sec·Lillian Avenue
2
At end of road, turn right onto Park View Boulevard
0.5 mi·1 min·Park View Boulevard
3
Turn right onto N-85
0.2 mi·20 sec·South 84th Street
4
Turn left onto Harrison Street
3.6 mi·6 min·Harrison Street
5
Turn left onto Giles Road
0.3 mi·28 sec·Giles Road
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·42 sec
Toward I 80 West
7
Merge onto I 80
339 mi·5 hr 43 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
81 mi·1 hr 20 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: Sidney, Cheyanne
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward NE 71 North: Gering, Scottsbluff
10
Turn right onto N-71
1.0 mi·1 min·South Highway 71
11
Turn left onto L-53E
0.1 mi·15 sec·Link 53E
Toward US 30Use the left lane.
12
Enter roundabout onto L-53E
13 ft·0 sec·Link 53E
Toward US 30
13
Continue on L-53E
0.3 mi·33 sec·Link 53E
Toward US 30
14
At end of road, turn left onto US 30; I 80 Alt
1.1 mi·1 min·East 3rd Street
15
Turn right onto South Chesnut Street
43 ft·0 sec·South Chesnut Street
16
Arrive at destination
South Chesnut Street
Trip Plan
For this 7-hour, 19-minute drive, departing La Vista early in the morning is your best bet to enjoy the scenery and arrive in Kimball with daylight to spare. Given the longest stretch is over 400 miles, plan for at least one substantial stop for fuel and a break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you get further west; services can be more spread out on I-80 in Nebraska. The two recommended stops are opportunities to stretch your legs and refresh before completing the journey.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 213.7 miles from La Vista, NE, or about 3h 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 419.4 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 94 miles or 1h 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 213.7 miles or 3h 41m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 17m
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 La Vista, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from La Vista, NE
This is one driving day of about 427.5 miles and 7h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 94 miles from La Vista, NE.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 419.4 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 426.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Park View Boulevard
At end of road, turn right onto Park View Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
5.3 mi into trip|~10m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
343.9 mi into trip|~5h 54m 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
424.6 mi into trip|~7h 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
426.1 mi into trip|~7h 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
$63.13 one way
$126.26 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg150 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$69.70
$139.39
premium
$4.72
$79.37
$158.75
diesel
$4.80
$80.72
$161.44
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$63
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$88–$113
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 149.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $45 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
128.3
1
$44.89
$20.52
Efficient EV
106.9
1
$37.41
$17.10
EV Truck/SUV
171
2
$59.85
$27.36
Gas CO2
150 kg
EV CO2
50 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
La Vista, NE
Evening
in La Vista on Saturday
Local time
8:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Chance Rain Showers then Partly Cloudy
SSE 5 mph25% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Kimball, NE
Evening
in Kimball on Saturday
Local time
7:33 PM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 10 to 15 mph2% 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
11 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
7h 19m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 is a highway-focused drive, with 98% of the journey on interstates. You'll spend the vast majority of your time on I-80, experiencing a long, uninterrupted stretch of 419.4 miles. The character of the drive is consistent, characterized by the wide-open landscapes typical of the Great Plains. While largely an interstate experience, the route begins and ends on local roads, Harrison Street and East 3rd Street, before merging onto the main highway.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 419.4 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and Harrison Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Park View Boulevard.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 19m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 13 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Park View Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 343.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
4,716 ft1,109 ft
Total Climb
3,607 ft
Total Descent
0 ft
Highest Point
4,716 ft
~427.5 mi in
Elevation Range
3,607 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 La Vista, 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 419.4 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 39 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Kimball, NE before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 39 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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: at 0.2 miles (Park View Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 343.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.3 hours each way, a round trip means 14.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Kimball, NE before the return drive.
