This 435.1-mile drive from Omaha, NE to Kimball, NE is a solid day trip, estimated to take about 7 hours and 25 minutes of pure driving time. You'll spend virtually all of your time on highways, with a 99% highway share, making it a focused, efficient journey across the Great Plains. With a fuel cost estimated at $68 and only 2 planned stops, this route is designed for straightforward travel. Consider this a practical, no-frills option for covering ground efficiently within 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
217.6 miles from Omaha, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
429.2 mi
7h 15m
Gerald R Ford Expressway
2 mi
2m
East 3rd Street
1.1 mi
1m
South Highway 71
1 mi
1m
Saint Mary's Avenue
0.8 mi
2m
Link 53E
0.4 mi
<1m
South 18th Street
0.1 mi
<1m
South 29th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 429.2 mi, about 7h 15m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 100 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,602 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,973
Quietest
2 AM
~143 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.2×
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 Omaha, NE and Kimball, NE.
1
Start on Harney Street
176 ft·10 sec·Harney Street
2
Turn right onto South 18th Street
0.1 mi·29 sec·South 18th Street
3
Turn right onto Saint Mary's Avenue
0.8 mi·2 min·Saint Mary's Avenue
4
Turn left onto South 29th Street
450 ft·10 sec·South 29th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·20 sec
Toward I 480 South, US 75 South
6
Merge onto I 480; US 75
1.2 mi·1 min·Gerald R Ford Expressway
7
Take the exit onto I 480
0.8 mi·55 sec·Gerald R Ford Expressway
8
Merge onto I 80
348 mi·5 hr 54 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
81 mi·1 hr 20 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: Sidney, Cheyanne
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward NE 71 North: Gering, Scottsbluff
11
Turn right onto N-71
1.0 mi·1 min·South Highway 71
12
Turn left onto L-53E
0.1 mi·15 sec·Link 53E
Toward US 30Use the left lane.
13
Enter roundabout onto L-53E
13 ft·0 sec·Link 53E
Toward US 30
14
Continue on L-53E
0.3 mi·33 sec·Link 53E
Toward US 30
15
At end of road, turn left onto US 30; I 80 Alt
1.1 mi·1 min·East 3rd Street
16
Turn right onto South Chesnut Street
43 ft·0 sec·South Chesnut Street
17
Arrive at destination
South Chesnut Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 7-hour, 25-minute drive, aim for an early morning departure from Omaha to avoid city traffic and maximize daylight. With only two stops planned and such a long stretch on I 80, be sure to fuel up before you hit that main highway segment to avoid any last-minute detours. The 435.1-mile distance is manageable in one day, but keeping an eye on the weather across the open plains is always a good idea. Your estimated fuel cost is around $68 for this 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 217.6 miles from Omaha, NE, or about 3h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 429.2 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 96 miles or 1h 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 217.6 miles or 3h 44m 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 24m
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 Omaha, 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 Omaha, NE
This is one driving day of about 435.1 miles and 7h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 96 miles from Omaha, 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 429.2 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 433.8 — 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|South 18th Street
Turn right onto South 18th Street
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 480 South, US 75 South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 480 South, US 75 South
5
3.2 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.
6
351.6 mi into trip|~6h 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
6
433.8 mi into trip|~7h 23m 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
$72.34 one way
$144.68 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg152 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$78.80
$157.60
premium
$5.18
$88.78
$177.57
diesel
$5.35
$91.65
$183.29
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$72
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$97–$122
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 152.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $46 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
130.5
1
$45.69
$20.88
Efficient EV
108.8
1
$38.07
$17.40
EV Truck/SUV
174
2
$60.91
$27.85
Gas CO2
152 kg
EV CO2
51 kg (66% 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 May 25, 2026
Origin
Omaha, NE
Afternoon
in Omaha on Wednesday
Local time
2:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Kimball, NE
Afternoon
in Kimball on Wednesday
Local time
1:08 PM
MDT
Current temp
88°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSE 5 to 10 mph19% 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
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
7h 25m 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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for the vast majority of this 435.1-mile trip, as 99% of the route utilizes major interstates and expressways. The journey is dominated by I 80, which you'll be on for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 429.2 miles. This means consistent speeds and minimal distractions, characteristic of a Great Plains drive. While primarily interstate, the initial and final legs involve city streets like Gerald R Ford Expressway and East 3rd Street as you enter and exit Omaha.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 429.2 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and Gerald R Ford Expressway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 18th Street.
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 25m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 15 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 18th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
4,716 ft1,085 ft
Total Climb
3,631 ft
Total Descent
0 ft
Highest Point
4,716 ft
~435.1 mi in
Elevation Range
3,631 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 Omaha, NE to Kimball, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Cheyanne along the way.
Cheyanne
351.6 mi in|~6h|via I 80
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Omaha is the largest city in the US state of Nebraska, with about 486,000 residents in 2020. Tourist attractions in Omaha include history, sports, outdoors and cultural experiences. Its principal tourist attractions are the Henry Doorly Zoo and the Men's College World Series. The Old Market in Downtown Omaha is another major attraction and is important to the city's retail economy.
Top landmarks
•St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church — historic church in Nebraska, United States
•St. Cecilia Cathedral — Roman Catholic cathedral in Omaha, Nebraska
•Malcolm X House — historic former house in Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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 429.2 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 43 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 43 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: near the start (South 18th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.4 hours each way, a round trip means 14.9 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.
