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Trip from Arlington, NE to Papillion, NE

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

48m

Distance

37.1 mi

60 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 45m ★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 46m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Arlington, NE, NE

Arlington, NE

Dominik Gryzbon

city in and county seat of Sarpy County, Nebraska, United States

Papillion, NE

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Arlington, NE to Papillion, NE covers 37.1 miles and takes about 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US Highway 30, State Highway 133, I 680 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.6 miles on US Highway 30. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.80 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 37.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

48m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 48m highway drive covering 37.1 miles, with most of the trip on US Highway 30 and State Highway 133. The longest continuous stretch is about 8.6 miles on US Highway 30.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US Highway 30 is the longest continuous segment at about 8.6 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,337 ft 1,009 ft

Total Climb

329 ft

Total Descent

509 ft

Highest Point

1,337 ft

~13.2 mi in

Elevation Range

327 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 30 and State Highway 133. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North 3rd Street.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 37.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / West Elkhorn Drive): Navigation decision point; at 23.4 miles (I 680): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | North 3rd Street

Turn right onto North 3rd Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 30 / West Elkhorn Drive

Turn left onto US 30 / West Elkhorn Drive

Navigation decision point

5
23.4 mi into trip | ~28m in | I 680

Merge onto I 680

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
32 mi into trip | ~39m in

Take the exit toward La Vista, Ralston

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 448 Toward La Vista, Ralston
10
32.3 mi into trip | ~39m in

Keep slight right at fork toward La Vista, Ralston

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left / right lanes. Exit 448 Toward La Vista, Ralston

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Arlington, NE and Papillion, NE, road signs point toward La Vista and Ralston.

La Vista

32 mi in | ~39m

Ralston

32 mi in | ~39m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US Highway 30 8.6 mi 9m
State Highway 133 7.8 mi 8m
I 680 6.3 mi 7m
Highway 133 3.6 mi 4m
South 84th Street 3.1 mi 5m
County Road P30 2.7 mi 3m
North Washington Street 1.5 mi 3m
I 80 1.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: US Highway 30 — 8.6 mi, about 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, NE and Papillion, NE.

1

Start on West Eagle Street

42 ft · 4 sec · West Eagle Street
2

Turn right onto North 3rd Street

441 ft · 24 sec · North 3rd Street
3

Turn left onto US 30

0.2 mi · 25 sec · West Elkhorn Drive
4

Continue on US 30

8.6 mi · 9 min · US Highway 30
5

Turn right onto County Road P30

2.7 mi · 3 min · County Road P30
6

Turn right onto N-133

6.2 mi · 6 min · State Highway 133
7

Continue on N-133

1.4 mi · 1 min · Highway 133
8

Continue on N-133

1.2 mi · 1 min · State Highway 133
Use the straight lane.
9

Continue on N-133

2.1 mi · 2 min · Highway 133
Use the straight lane.
10

Continue on N-133

0.4 mi · 34 sec · State Highway 133
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 680 South
12

Merge onto I 680

6.3 mi · 7 min · I 680
Use the straight lane.
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 80 East: Downtown
14

Merge onto I 80

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 80
15

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 29 sec
Exit 448 Toward La Vista, Ralston Use the slight right lane.
16

Keep slight right at fork

425 ft · 7 sec
Exit 448 Toward La Vista, Ralston Use the left / right lanes.
17

Turn straight onto South 84th Street

3.1 mi · 5 min · South 84th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
18

Continue on N-85

1.5 mi · 3 min · North Washington Street
19

Turn left onto East Lincoln Street

197 ft · 8 sec · East Lincoln Street
20

Arrive at destination

East Lincoln Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 18.5 mi from Arlington, NE · 22m into the drive

Downtown Ralston, NE, NE

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ralston, NE

19 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

La Vista, NE

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Blair, NE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.5 miles from Arlington, NE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Papillion, NE

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Papillion, NE if you are unfamiliar with the area.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.80 one way

$11.60 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $6.37 $12.74
premium $4.89 $7.14 $14.28
diesel $5.61 $8.19 $16.38

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 13 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.1 0 $3.90 $1.78
Efficient EV 9.3 0 $3.25 $1.48
EV Truck/SUV 14.8 0 $5.19 $2.37

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Arlington, NE

Late night in Arlington on Saturday

Local time

4:35 AM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Papillion, NE

Late night in Papillion on Saturday

Local time

4:35 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

22 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

48m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Arlington, NE to Papillion, NE covers 37.1 miles and takes about 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US Highway 30, State Highway 133, I 680. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 18.5 miles from Arlington, NE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.80 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 37.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / West Elkhorn Drive): Navigation decision point; at 23.4 miles (I 680): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Between Arlington, NE and Papillion, NE, road signs point toward La Vista and Ralston.

Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 1,009 ft to 1,337 ft elevation with about 329 ft of total climbing.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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