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Trip from Madison, NE to North Platte, NE

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 17m

Distance

218.7 mi

352 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 4m ★
6 AM
4h 18m
8 AM
4h 44m
10 AM
4h 27m
12 PM
4h 24m
3 PM
4h 28m
5 PM
4h 43m
8 PM
4h 10m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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Downtown Madison, NE, NE

Madison, NE

Quang Nguyen Vinh

Downtown North Platte, NE, NE

North Platte, NE

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Madison, NE to North Platte, NE is 218.7 miles and takes about 4h 17m via Highway 92, Highway 91, and Highway 70, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within Nebraska, traversing the Great Plains region. The route is predominantly highway driving, making it a straightforward and efficient option for getting between these two points. If you're looking for a no-frills, direct path across the state, this route fits the bill. It’s designed for getting you there with minimal fuss.

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

109.3 miles from Madison, NE

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 8m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Highway 92 39.6 mi 45m
Highway 91 36.2 mi 42m
Highway 70 35.8 mi 41m
US 83 25.6 mi 29m
Highway 22 21.3 mi 24m
State Highway 91 18.3 mi 21m
Highway 281 14.9 mi 17m
Highway 2 8.4 mi 10m
Longest stretch: Highway 92 — 39.6 mi, about 45m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Madison, NE and North Platte, NE.

1

Start on this road

16 ft · 3 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto N-32

0.8 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
3

Turn right onto US 81

8.3 mi · 8 min · US 81
4

Turn right onto N-91

12 mi · 13 min · State Highway 91
5

Continue on N-91

0.7 mi · 1 min · East 2nd Street
6

Continue on N-91

6.8 mi · 7 min · State Highway 91
7

Continue on N-91

8.8 mi · 10 min · Highway 91
8

Turn right onto N-14; N-91

0.9 mi · 1 min · West State Street
9

Continue on N-91

18 mi · 21 min · Highway 91
10

Continue on N-91

0.5 mi · 53 sec · East Orchard Street
11

Continue on N-91

9.0 mi · 10 min · Highway 91
12

At end of road, turn left onto US 281

15 mi · 17 min · Highway 281
13

Turn right onto N-22

8.4 mi · 9 min · Highway 22
14

Continue on N-22

0.6 mi · 1 min · Scotia Avenue
15

Continue on N-22

1.0 mi · 1 min · Highway 22
16

Turn right onto N-11; N-22

2.1 mi · 2 min · Highway 11
17

Turn left onto N-22

12 mi · 13 min · Highway 22
18

Turn left onto N-70

4.4 mi · 5 min · Highway 70
19

Continue on N-70

5.5 mi · 6 min · Highway 70
20

Continue on N-70

0.8 mi · 1 min · Bridge Street
21

Continue on N-70

14 mi · 15 min · Highway 70
22

At end of road, turn right onto US 183; N-70

1.0 mi · 1 min · Highway 183
23

Turn left onto N-70

12 mi · 14 min · Highway 70
24

At end of road, turn left onto N-70

216 ft · 9 sec · Memorial Drive
25

Turn right onto N-2; N-92

2.1 mi · 2 min · South E Street
26

Continue on N-2; N-92

8.4 mi · 10 min · Highway 2
27

Turn left onto N-92

24 mi · 27 min · Highway 92
28

Continue on N-92

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Arnold Avenue
29

Continue on N-92

16 mi · 18 min · Highway 92
30

Turn left onto US 83

26 mi · 29 min · US 83
31

Turn right onto West William Avenue

400 ft · 23 sec · West William Avenue
32

Turn left

156 ft · 11 sec
33

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Consider departing Madison in the morning to maximize daylight for your 4h 17m drive. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing yourself. The route is mostly highway, so keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 39.6-mile stretch on Highway 92, as services might be spaced out. Plan to refuel before leaving Madison or look for services in larger towns along Highway 91 or 70. Given the relatively short distance, you can easily adjust your departure time based on your schedule or weather conditions.

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 109.3 miles from Madison, NE, or about 2h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 39.6 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 57m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 109.3 miles or 2h 8m 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 31m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Platte, NE than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Madison, 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 Madison, NE

This is one driving day of about 218.7 miles and 4h 17m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Madison, 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 92 for about 39.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Eddyville, NE, NE

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Eddyville, NE

109 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

Battle Creek, NE

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 48 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Cairo, NE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 109.3 miles from Madison, 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.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Best meal stop · home stretch

Luigi's | Italian Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

North Platte, Nebraska

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch · 0min to go 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20

Hours: 11 am–9:30 pm

+13082212961

Visit website

the Espresso Shop | Caravan

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

North Platte, Nebraska

0.9 mi

Tempura | Japanese Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

North Platte, Nebraska

1.1 mi

Luigi's | Italian Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20

North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: 11 am–9:30 pm

+13082212961

Visit website

the Espresso Shop | Caravan

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: 6:30 am–3 pm

+13085349550

Visit website

Tempura | Japanese Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20

North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: 11 am–9:30 pm

+13085320711

Visit website

North 40 Chophouse

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 1 mi from route ~2 min detour $50 to $10

North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: 4–10 pm

+13082216688

Visit website

The Cedar Room

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 1 mi from route ~2 min detour $20 to $30

North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: 4–9 pm

+13085324825

Visit website

Penny's Diner

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: Open 24 hours

+13085359900

Visit website

Merricks Ranch House

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20

North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: 7 am–8 pm

+13085328200

Visit website

ALICIA'S PUPUSAS INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1 mi from route ~3 min detour $1 to $10

North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: 10 am–7 pm

+13086601165

Flying J Travel Center

2.5 mi from route

Cody Park Railroad Museum

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.8 mi from route ~4 min detour

North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: 10 am–7 pm

+13085356719

Visit website

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 0.8 and 218.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.8 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 81

Turn right onto US 81

Navigation decision point

4
9.1 mi into trip | ~11m in | N-91 / State Highway 91

Turn right onto N-91 / State Highway 91

Navigation decision point

5
65.7 mi into trip | ~1h 17m in | US 281 / Highway 281

At end of road, turn left onto US 281 / Highway 281

Navigation decision point

4
80.6 mi into trip | ~1h 35m in | N-22 / Highway 22

Turn right onto N-22 / Highway 22

Navigation decision point

5
218.6 mi into trip | ~4h 17m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.30 one way

$64.59 round trip

$3.75/gal 25.4 MPG avg 77 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.14 $35.65 $71.31
premium $4.72 $40.61 $81.21
diesel $4.80 $41.29 $82.59

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 76.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 65.6 0 $22.96 $10.50
Efficient EV 54.7 0 $19.14 $8.75
EV Truck/SUV 87.5 1 $30.62 $14.00

Gas CO2

77 kg

EV CO2

26 kg (66% 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 Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Madison, NE

Late night in Madison on Sunday

Local time

5:52 AM

CDT

Current temp

95°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

E 7 mph 24% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:22PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:22PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

Destination

North Platte, NE

Late night in North Platte on Sunday

Local time

5:52 AM

CDT

Current temp

96°F

Sunny

SE 10 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:22PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:22PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE

63°F

Eddyville, NE

109 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

1 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

4h 17m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

You'll spend 97% of this 218.7-mile drive on major highways. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change in road type is 39.6 miles on Highway 92. Once you are on the main highways, expect consistent, open-road cruising. The transition to surface roads will be minimal, as the route is heavily dominated by high-speed corridors. You'll notice the landscape is largely consistent with what you'd expect on a long drive through the Great Plains.

97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.6 mi on Highway 92.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 92 and Highway 91. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near US 81.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 4h 17m 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: at 0.8 miles (US 81): Navigation decision point; at 9.1 miles (N-91 / State Highway 91): Navigation decision point; at 65.7 miles (US 281 / Highway 281): Navigation decision point.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

3,057 ft 1,585 ft

Total Climb

1,597 ft

Total Descent

379 ft

Highest Point

3,057 ft

~187.4 mi in

Elevation Range

1,472 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Madison, NE

Full guide →

Founded 1885

Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, is situated on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. As the anchor of the Greater Madison Area, it is home to the University of Wisconsin — Madison, one of the premier universities in the United States. It is a vibrant city known for its natural beauty, vibrant cultural scene, and academic excellence. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as hiking, biking, and exploring the city's many museums and art galleries. The city is also known for its diverse and delicious food options.

Top landmarks

  • • Saint Leonard Catholic Church — church building in Madison, United States of America

Arriving in North Platte, NE

Full guide →

North Platte is a city in Nebraska. With a population of over 23,000 (2020), North Platte is the largest community in Lincoln County, located in west central Nebraska.

Top landmarks

  • • Neville Center for the Performing Arts — theater and former movie theater in North Platte, Nebraska, United States
  • • Hotel Yancey — historic building in North Platte, Nebraska, United States
  • • Lincoln County Courthouse — county courthouse in North Platte, Nebraska

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 4h 17m. Total distance: 218.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 39.6 miles on Highway 92. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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: at 0.8 miles (US 81): Navigation decision point; at 9.1 miles (N-91 / State Highway 91): Navigation decision point; at 65.7 miles (US 281 / Highway 281): Navigation decision point.

Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.6 hours — manageable with a long break at North Platte, NE, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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