Origin
Omaha, NE
Night in Omaha on Saturday
Local time
9:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Omaha, NE to Springfield, NE
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
20.7 mi
33 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Omaha, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Springfield, NE
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Trip Overview
This short, 20.7-mile drive from Omaha to Springfield, Nebraska, is easily completed in about 28 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. Primarily utilizing I-80 and State Highway 50, the route is predominantly highway-focused, with 89% of the journey on faster roads. With a low estimated fuel cost of just $3, this quick excursion is budget-friendly. Since there are no recommended overnight stops and the drive is so brief, you'll have plenty of flexibility in your schedule. Both Omaha and Springfield are situated within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent feel throughout your journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 11.1 mi | 12m |
| State Highway 50 | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Gerald R Ford Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Saint Mary's Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South 144th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South 18th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 29th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 11.1 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Omaha, NE and Springfield, 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
11 mi
·
12 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 440
Toward NE 50: Springfield
10
Turn left onto N-50; I 80 Alt
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
South 144th Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on N-50; I 80 Alt
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
State Highway 50
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Main Street
13
Turn left onto North 1st Street
53 ft
·
2 sec
·
North 1st Street
14
Arrive at destination
North 1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.7 — 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.
5
14.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward NE 50: Springfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 440
Toward NE 50: Springfield
5
20.7 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
North 1st Street
Turn left onto North 1st Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.24 one way
$6.47 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.55 | $7.11 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.98 | $7.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.57 | $9.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.17 | $0.99 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.90 | $1.32 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Springfield, NE
Night in Springfield on Saturday
Local time
9:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2 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
28m 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 highway-focused drive for most of this trip, as 89% of the 20.7 miles are spent on interstates and expressways like I-80 and Gerald R. Ford Expressway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.1 miles on I-80, so you'll experience sustained highway speeds for a significant portion. While the profile is largely consistent, the transition onto State Highway 50 will offer a slight change in pace as you approach Springfield. This route isn't about winding country lanes; it's about efficient travel between two points within the Great Plains.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.1 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and State Highway 50. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 18th Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 20.7 miles you will encounter 11 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: 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.
About the Cities
Starting in Omaha, NE
Full guide →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.
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 28m. Total distance: 20.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.1 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Springfield, NE before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Springfield, 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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