Origin
Nebraska City, NE
Afternoon in Nebraska City on Saturday
Local time
2:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Nebraska City, NE to Beatrice, NE
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 30m
Distance
77.3 mi
124 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 23m
★
6 AM
1h 30m
8 AM
1h 44m
10 AM
1h 35m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 36m
5 PM
1h 43m
8 PM
1h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nebraska City, NE
Tom Fisk
Beatrice, NE
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Nebraska City, NE to Beatrice, NE covers 77.3 miles and takes about 1h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highway 2, Highway 77, Nebraska Highway 2 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17 miles on Highway 2. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.08 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.7 miles from Nebraska City, NE
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 43m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 2 | 17 mi | 18m |
| Highway 77 | 16.3 mi | 17m |
| Nebraska Highway 2 | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| F Road | 7.7 mi | 8m |
| South 12th Street | 6.8 mi | 7m |
| US Highway 77 | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Rokeby Road | 4 mi | 4m |
| H Road | 3.5 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 2
— 17 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nebraska City, NE and Beatrice, NE.
1
Start on Central Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Avenue
2
Turn left onto Steinhart Park Road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Steinhart Park Road
3
Turn right onto N-2 Business
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Corso
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
48 sec
6
Merge onto N-2
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Highway 2
7
Continue on N-2
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I Road
8
Continue on N-2
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 2
9
Continue on N-2
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
H Road
10
Continue on N-2
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 2
11
Continue on N-2
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
F Road
12
Continue on N-2
0.7 mi
·
56 sec
·
Highway 2
13
Continue on N-2; N-43
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
F Road
14
Continue on N-2; N-43
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Rokeby Road
15
Continue on N-2
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Nebraska Highway 2
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 77 South: Beatrice, Saltillo Road
17
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward US 77 South: Beatrice
18
Merge onto US 77
0.4 mi
·
23 sec
·
US Highway 77
19
Continue on US 77
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
South 12th Street
20
Continue on US 77
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
US Highway 77
21
Continue on US 77
16 mi
·
17 min
·
Highway 77
22
Continue on US 77
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
North 6th Street
23
Turn slight right
92 ft
·
13 sec
24
Turn left
81 ft
·
6 sec
25
Turn right
37 ft
·
2 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.7 miles from Nebraska City, NE, or about 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 17 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 17 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.7 miles or 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Beatrice, NE than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Nebraska City, NE so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Nebraska City, NE
This is one driving day of about 77.3 miles and 1h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Nebraska City, NE.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Highway 2 for about 17 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 38.7 miles from Nebraska City, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 77.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Steinhart Park Road
Turn left onto Steinhart Park Road
Navigation decision point
4
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
46 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward US 77 South: Beatrice, Saltillo Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 77 South: Beatrice, Saltillo Road
5
46.2 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 77 South: Beatrice
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 77 South: Beatrice
5
77.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.08 one way
$24.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $13.27 | $26.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $14.88 | $29.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.07 | $34.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.12 | $3.71 |
| Efficient EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.76 | $3.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.9 | 0 | $10.82 | $4.95 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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
Beatrice, NE
Afternoon in Beatrice on Saturday
Local time
2:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Hickman, NE
39 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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 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 30m 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?
77.3 mi in 1h 30m — 59% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Highway 2.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17 mi on Highway 2.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near Steinhart Park Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 77.3 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 1 miles (Steinhart Park Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 46 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 30m. Total distance: 77.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17 miles on Highway 2. 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 Beatrice, 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: at 1 miles (Steinhart Park Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 46 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Beatrice, NE before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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