Origin
Seward, NE
Late night in Seward on Sunday
Local time
2:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Seward, 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
38m
Distance
27.6 mi
44 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Seward, NE
Radoslaw Sikorski
Lincoln, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Seward and Lincoln is a straightforward 27.6-mile journey across the Great Plains that typically takes about 38 minutes. Because of the short distance, this trip is perfectly suited as a quick day outing rather than an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via West US Highway 34, the Purple Heart Highway, and McKelvie Road. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, it is an incredibly affordable drive for commuters or casual travelers. Expect a consistent experience as you remain within the Great Plains region for the duration of the trip. Whether you are heading to the capital for business or a change of scenery, the simplicity of this route makes it a stress-free transition.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West US Highway 34 | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| Purple Heart Highway | 6.8 mi | 9m |
| McKelvie Road | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Alvo Road | 3 mi | 3m |
| Highway 34 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Capitol Parkway | 1 mi | 2m |
| K Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
West US Highway 34
— 7.8 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Seward, NE and Lincoln, NE.
1
Start on US 34; I 80 Alt
48 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
2
Continue on US 34; I 80 Alt
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on US 34; I 80 Alt
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
McKelvie Road
4
Continue on US 34; I 80 Alt
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Highway 34
5
Continue on US 34; I 80 Alt
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Alvo Road
6
Continue on US 34; I 80 Alt
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
West US Highway 34
7
Continue on US 34; I 80 Alt
6.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto K Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
K Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Continue on Capitol Parkway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Capitol Parkway
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto A Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
A Street
11
Turn left onto South 37th Street
337 ft
·
17 sec
·
South 37th Street
12
Turn right onto B Street
305 ft
·
10 sec
·
B Street
13
Arrive at destination
B Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 27.6 — 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
|
US 34; I 80 Alt / Main Street
Continue onto US 34; I 80 Alt / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
25 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
K Street
Turn left onto K Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
27.5 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
South 37th Street
Turn left onto South 37th Street
Navigation decision point
5
27.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
B Street
Turn right onto B Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.31 one way
$8.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.74 | $9.48 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.31 | $10.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.09 | $12.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.90 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.86 | $1.77 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
2:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°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
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
38m 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?
This trip offers a mixed driving profile that transitions through different road types as you head toward Lincoln. While 39% of your journey is spent on highways, the route remains manageable and avoids the intensity of a long-haul interstate grind. You will find your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 7.8 miles on West US Highway 34, allowing for a steady pace. The shift between the Purple Heart Highway and local roads creates a varied experience behind the wheel. You can expect a predictable flow that keeps you moving efficiently while navigating the transition from Seward's surroundings into the more populated Lincoln area.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.8 mi on West US Highway 34.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 34; I 80 Alt / Main 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 38m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 34; I 80 Alt / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 25 miles (K Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.5 miles (South 37th Street): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,518 ft
1,128 ft
Total Climb
231 ft
Total Descent
523 ft
Highest Point
1,518 ft
~3.9 mi in
Elevation Range
390 ft
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 38m. Total distance: 27.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.8 miles on West US Highway 34. 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 (US 34; I 80 Alt / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 25 miles (K Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.5 miles (South 37th Street): Navigation decision point.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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