Origin
Ralston, NE
Late night in Ralston on Sunday
Local time
1:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ralston, NE to Lincoln, 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 2m
Distance
48.4 mi
78 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ralston, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Lincoln, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward connection between Ralston and Lincoln, this 51.3-mile route offers a direct path across the Nebraska Great Plains. Expect to spend about 59 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via Q Street, South 84th Street, and Harrison Street rather than relying on major interstates. With a fuel budget of approximately $8, the trip is an economical way to travel between these two points. Because the entire journey remains within the same region, you can anticipate a consistent landscape throughout the hour-long commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 31.9 mi | 32m |
| Cornhusker Highway | 4.8 mi | 8m |
| Harrison Street | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| US Highway 6 | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| North 33rd Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| South 84th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| South 33rd Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| B Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 31.9 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ralston, NE and Lincoln, NE.
1
Start on Q Street
176 ft
·
11 sec
·
Q Street
2
Continue on Q Street
322 ft
·
18 sec
·
Q Street
3
Turn left onto N-85
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South 84th Street
4
Turn right onto Harrison Street
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Harrison Street
5
Turn left onto Giles Road
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Giles Road
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 80 West
7
Merge onto I 80
32 mi
·
32 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 6: East Lincoln, Waverly
9
Turn left onto US 6; I 80 Alt
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
US Highway 6
10
Continue on US 6; I 80 Alt
4.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Cornhusker Highway
11
Turn left onto North 33rd Street
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
North 33rd Street
12
Continue on South 33rd Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South 33rd Street
13
Turn left onto B Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
B Street
14
Arrive at destination
B Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 24.2 miles from Ralston, 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 1.1 and 48.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Harrison Street
Turn right onto Harrison Street
Navigation decision point
4
4.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
Giles Road
Turn left onto Giles Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
5.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
37.3 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward US 6: East Lincoln, Waverly
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 6: East Lincoln, Waverly
4
48.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
B Street
Turn left onto B Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.57 one way
$15.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.31 | $16.62 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.31 | $18.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.69 | $21.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.78 | $3.10 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Lincoln, NE
Late night in Lincoln on Sunday
Local time
1:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
77°F
Ashland, NE
24 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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 2m 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?
Forget the monotony of high-speed interstate cruising; this path is a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention. With 0% highway share, you will be navigating surface streets for the duration of the 51.3-mile trip. The route lacks long, uninterrupted stretches, requiring you to stay alert for frequent turns and intersection changes. As you transition from the Ralston area toward Lincoln, the road maintains a practical, stop-and-go character typical of regional local roads. It is a functional drive that trades speed for a more intimate look at the local infrastructure.
71% 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: 31.9 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and Cornhusker Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near Harrison Street.
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 1h 2m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (Giles Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Ralston, NE to Lincoln, NE, road signs begin pointing toward Waverly along the way.
Waverly
37.3 mi in
|
~42m
About the Cities
Arriving 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 2m. Total distance: 48.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.9 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 1.1 miles (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (Giles Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 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 Lincoln, 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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