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Trip from Nebraska City, NE to Scottsbluff, NE

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

6h 54m

Distance

445.7 mi

717 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$70

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 35 min
4 AM
6h 43m ★
6 AM
6h 55m
8 AM
7h 18m
10 AM
7h 3m
12 PM
7h 0m
3 PM
7h 4m
5 PM
7h 17m
8 PM
6h 48m

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

Downtown Nebraska City, NE, NE

Nebraska City, NE

Tom Fisk

city in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, United States

Scottsbluff, NE

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Nebraska City, NE to Scottsbluff, NE covers 445.7 miles and takes about 6h 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Steinhart Park Road, 4th Corso, Highway 2 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $69.68 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

222.8 miles from Nebraska City, NE

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 27m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 54m. Total distance: 445.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

6h 54m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 6h 54m drive with frequent turns across 445.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 40 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Steinhart Park Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 54m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Nebraska City, NE to Scottsbluff, NE is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Steinhart Park Road
4th Corso
Highway 2
I Road
H Road
F Road
Rokeby Road
To Lincoln via Nebraska Parkway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Steinhart Park Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Nebraska City, NE and Scottsbluff, 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 4th Corso

0.9 mi · 1 min · 4th Corso
4

Keep slight left

0.3 mi · 29 sec
5

Keep slight left

0.6 mi · 48 sec
6

Merge slight left onto Highway 2

10 mi · 11 min · Highway 2
7

Continue on I Road

2.2 mi · 2 min · I Road
8

Continue on Highway 2

2.9 mi · 3 min · Highway 2
9

Continue on H Road

3.5 mi · 3 min · H Road
10

Continue on Highway 2

2.9 mi · 3 min · Highway 2
11

Continue on F Road

4.7 mi · 5 min · F Road
12

Continue on Highway 2

0.7 mi · 56 sec · Highway 2
13

Continue on F Road

3.0 mi · 3 min · F Road
14

Continue on Rokeby Road

4.0 mi · 4 min · Rokeby Road
15

Continue on Nebraska Highway 2

1.0 mi · 1 min · Nebraska Highway 2
16

Take the exit slight right toward To Lincoln via Nebraska Parkway, 120th Street

0.4 mi · 47 sec · To Lincoln via Nebraska Parkway, 120th Street
17

Keep slight right to continue on To Lincoln via Nebraska Parkway

0.1 mi · 15 sec · To Lincoln via Nebraska Parkway
18

Turn straight onto Nebraska Parkway

9.0 mi · 13 min · Nebraska Parkway
19

Continue on South 10th Street

0.3 mi · 38 sec · South 10th Street
20

Turn slight left onto To I 80, To US 77: West Van Dorn Street

0.2 mi · 47 sec · To I 80, To US 77: West Van Dorn Street
21

Turn straight onto Van Dorn Street

1.1 mi · 1 min · Van Dorn Street
22

Take the ramp straight toward US 77 north, To I 80

0.3 mi · 45 sec · US 77 north, To I 80
23

Merge slight left onto Homestead Expressway

2.1 mi · 2 min · Homestead Expressway
24

Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Grand Island

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 80 West: Grand Island
25

Merge slight left

270 mi · 4 hr 33 min
26

Take the exit slight right toward US 26, NE 61: Ogallala, Grant

0.3 mi · 40 sec · US 26, NE 61: Ogallala, Grant
27

Turn right onto South Highway 26/61

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Highway 26/61
28

Continue on East A Street

0.4 mi · 50 sec · East A Street
29

At the end of the road, turn left onto East 8th Street

331 ft · 10 sec · East 8th Street
30

Turn right onto North Spruce Street

2.2 mi · 3 min · North Spruce Street
31

Turn left onto Highway 26 West

24 mi · 28 min · Highway 26 West
32

Continue straight

60 mi · 1 hr 11 min
33

Turn left

1.0 mi · 1 min
34

Turn right

24 mi · 27 min
35

Turn right onto Highway L79E

2.1 mi · 2 min · Highway L79E
36

Turn left onto Highway 26

7.5 mi · 9 min · Highway 26
37

Turn left onto East 20th Street

1.2 mi · 3 min · East 20th Street
38

Continue on West 20th Street

0.2 mi · 40 sec · West 20th Street
39

Turn right onto Avenue C

56 ft · 2 sec · Avenue C
40

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 222.8 miles from Nebraska City, NE, or about 3h 27m into the drive.

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 98 miles or 1h 31m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 222.8 miles or 3h 27m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 58m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scottsbluff, 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.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Nebraska City, NE

This is one driving day of about 445.7 miles and 6h 54m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 98 miles from Nebraska City, NE.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 222.8 mi from Nebraska City, NE · 3h 27m into the drive

Downtown Gothenburg, NE, NE

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Gothenburg, NE

223 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

Lincoln, NE

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 98 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gothenburg, NE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 222.8 miles from Nebraska City, NE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Scottsbluff, NE

The final approach into Scottsbluff, NE usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Scottsbluff, NE.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$69.68 one way

$139.36 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 156 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $76.51 $153.01
premium $4.89 $85.77 $171.54
diesel $5.61 $98.40 $196.81

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$70

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$95–$120

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 155.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $47 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 133.7 1 $46.80 $21.39
Efficient EV 111.4 1 $39.00 $17.83
EV Truck/SUV 178.3 2 $62.40 $28.52

Gas CO2

156 kg

EV CO2

52 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 16, 2026

Origin

Nebraska City, NE

Morning in Nebraska City on Friday

Local time

11:06 AM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Scottsbluff, NE

Morning in Scottsbluff on Friday

Local time

10:06 AM

MDT

Current temp

81°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

5 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

6h 54m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Nebraska City, NE to Scottsbluff, NE covers 445.7 miles and takes about 6h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Steinhart Park Road, 4th Corso, Highway 2. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 222.8 miles from Nebraska City, NE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $69.68 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 54m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Nebraska City, NE to Scottsbluff, NE is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Nebraska City, NE to Scottsbluff, NE does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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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