Origin
Lincoln, NE
Night in Lincoln on Saturday
Local time
11:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lincoln, NE to Ralston, NE
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
50.1 mi
81 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lincoln, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Ralston, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Lincoln to Ralston, you are in for a straightforward, short-distance trip across the Nebraska Great Plains. Spanning 50.1 miles, this drive typically takes about 1 hour and 1 minute to complete. Since the entire journey is easily manageable in a single day, you won't need to worry about booking overnight accommodations. Budgeting approximately $8 for fuel should cover your needs for the trip. Navigating this route is a practical choice for those needing to move between these two points efficiently without the complexity of a multi-day itinerary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 38.2 mi | 39m |
| North 56th Street | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| L Street | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Cornhusker Highway | 2 mi | 3m |
| North 33rd Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| South 33rd Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| South 84th Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| B Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 38.2 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lincoln, NE and Ralston, NE.
1
Start on B Street
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
·
B Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto South 33rd Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South 33rd Street
3
Continue on North 33rd Street
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
North 33rd Street
4
Turn right onto US 6
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Cornhusker Highway
5
Turn left onto L-55X
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
North 56th Street
6
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 80 east
7
Merge onto I 80
38 mi
·
39 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 445
Toward US 275, NE 92
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
Toward US 275 East, NE 92 East
10
Turn straight onto US 275; N-92
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
L Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Turn right onto N-85
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
South 84th Street
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto Q Street
193 ft
·
10 sec
·
Q Street
13
Arrive at destination
Q Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.1 miles from Lincoln, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 49.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South 33rd Street
At end of road, turn right onto South 33rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
8.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
46.5 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward US 275, NE 92
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 445
Toward US 275, NE 92
6
46.8 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 275 East, NE 92 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 275 East, NE 92 East
5
49.6 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
N-85 / South 84th Street
Turn right onto N-85 / South 84th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.83 one way
$15.67 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.60 | $17.20 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.64 | $19.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.06 | $22.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15 | 0 | $5.26 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $7.01 | $3.21 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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
Ralston, NE
Night in Ralston on Saturday
Local time
11:16 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Ashland, NE
25 mi in
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
21 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
1h 1m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway driving. Your path will primarily follow South 33rd Street, North 33rd Street, and Cornhusker Highway to reach your destination. Because this is entirely a local road experience, you should prepare for a more involved driving style compared to a monotonous highway stretch. The road’s personality is defined by constant adjustments and attention to local traffic patterns, keeping you engaged behind the wheel for the duration of the 1-hour drive.
76% 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: 38.2 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and North 56th Street. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near South 33rd Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.1 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (South 33rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Lincoln, NE
Full guide →Lincoln is the capital and second largest city of Nebraska, U.S. As the state capital, it offers several historical sites, as well as museums, art galleries, and other cultural venues.
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 1h 1m. Total distance: 50.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 38.2 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
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 0.3 miles (South 33rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ralston, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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