Origin
Pender, NE
Night in Pender on Saturday
Local time
9:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pender, NE to Norfolk, 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
Distance
45.3 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pender, NE
Barnabas Davoti
Norfolk, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 45.3-mile drive from Pender to Norfolk, Nebraska, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking about an hour to complete. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, with 91% of the route being on these roads. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $7, making it an economical option. The drive is primarily a highway-focused experience, connecting two points within the Great Plains region. It's a quick and efficient way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 275 | 22.6 mi | 25m |
| Highway 51 | 11.8 mi | 19m |
| Highway 9 | 7 mi | 8m |
| East Omaha Avenue | 2.5 mi | 2m |
| South 7th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 4th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 275
— 22.6 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pender, NE and Norfolk, NE.
1
Start on Main Street
36 ft
·
5 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto N-9; N-16
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Street
3
Continue on N-9; N-16
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Highway 9
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Turn right onto N-51
12 mi
·
19 min
·
Highway 51
5
At end of road, turn right onto US 275
23 mi
·
25 min
·
Highway 275
6
Continue on US 275
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East Omaha Avenue
7
Turn right onto South 7th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 7th Street
8
Enter roundabout onto South 7th Street
81 ft
·
2 sec
·
South 7th Street
9
Continue on South 7th Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
South 7th Street
10
Arrive at destination
South 7th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.7 miles from Pender, 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 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 45.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
N-9; N-16 / 4th Street
Turn right onto N-9; N-16 / 4th Street
Navigation decision point
3
7.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
N-51 / Highway 51
Turn right onto N-51 / Highway 51
Navigation decision point
4
19.4 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
US 275 / Highway 275
At end of road, turn right onto US 275 / Highway 275
Navigation decision point
4
44.6 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
South 7th Street
Turn right onto South 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
45.1 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
South 7th Street
Enter roundabout onto South 7th Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.08 one way
$14.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.78 | $15.55 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.72 | $17.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.00 | $20.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.17 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Norfolk, NE
Night in Norfolk on Saturday
Local time
9:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°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
29 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 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 predominantly highway-focused drive on this route, with Highway 275, Highway 51, and Highway 9 forming the backbone of your journey. With 91% of the drive on highways, you'll likely encounter consistent speeds and smooth pavement for most of the 45.3 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 22.6 miles on Highway 275, offering a good period of steady driving. This route is designed for efficient travel rather than winding scenic detours.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.6 mi on Highway 275.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 275 and Highway 51. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near N-9; N-16 / 4th Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Pender, NE to Norfolk, NE is easy. At 1h with 91% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (N-9; N-16 / 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.7 miles (N-51 / Highway 51): Navigation decision point; at 19.4 miles (US 275 / Highway 275): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,656 ft
1,342 ft
Total Climb
542 ft
Total Descent
360 ft
Highest Point
1,656 ft
~38.8 mi in
Elevation Range
314 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 45.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.6 miles on Highway 275. 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: near the start (N-9; N-16 / 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.7 miles (N-51 / Highway 51): Navigation decision point; at 19.4 miles (US 275 / Highway 275): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Norfolk, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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