Trip from Scottsbluff, NE to Gretna, NE

Drive Time

7h 48m

Distance

433 mi

697 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$66

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

33 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min

4 AM

7h 39m ★

6 AM

7h 49m

8 AM

8h 7m

10 AM

7h 55m

12 PM

7h 53m

3 PM

7h 56m

5 PM

8h 6m

8 PM

7h 43m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Scottsbluff, NE

Diana GP

Trip Overview

The drive from Scottsbluff, NE to Gretna, NE covers 433 miles and takes about 7h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 80, US 26, US Highway 26 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 305.5 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $65.77 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

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

216.5 miles from Scottsbluff, NE

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 5m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 7h 48m highway drive covering 433 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and US 26. The longest continuous stretch is about 305.5 miles on I 80.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 305.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 26. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 20th Street.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 48m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 14 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 20th Street): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles (L-79E / Highway L79E): Lane positioning matters here; at 429.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | West 20th Street

Turn left onto West 20th Street

Navigation decision point

8.9 mi into trip | ~12m in | L-79E / Highway L79E

Turn right onto L-79E / Highway L79E

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

429.1 mi into trip | ~7h 41m in

Take the exit toward NE 31: Gretna, Louisville

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

Toward NE 31: Gretna, Louisville

429.4 mi into trip | ~7h 42m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

432.9 mi into trip | ~7h 48m in | Pontiac Drive

Turn right onto Pontiac Drive

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 80	305.5 mi	5h 10m
US 26	84 mi	1h 39m
US Highway 26	12.5 mi	15m
Highway 92	11 mi	12m
Highway 26	7.5 mi	9m
South Highway 6	3.1 mi	4m
North Spruce Street	2.7 mi	4m
Highway L79E	2.1 mi	2m

Longest stretch: I 80 — 305.5 mi, about 5h 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Scottsbluff, NE and Gretna, NE.

Start on Avenue C

54 ft · 7 sec · Avenue C

Turn left onto West 20th Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · West 20th Street

Continue on East 20th Street

1.2 mi · 3 min · East 20th Street

Turn right onto US 26; N-71; N-92

7.5 mi · 9 min · Highway 26

Turn right onto L-79E

2.1 mi · 2 min · Highway L79E

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto N-92

11 mi · 12 min · Highway 92

Continue on US 26; N-92

13 mi · 15 min · US Highway 26

Turn left onto US 26; US 385

1.0 mi · 1 min · Main Street

Continue on US 26

84 mi · 1 hr 39 min · US 26

Turn right onto North Spruce Street

2.7 mi · 4 min · North Spruce Street

Turn left onto US 26; US 30; N-61; I 80 Alt

305 ft · 7 sec · US 26; US 30; N-61; I 80 Alt

Turn right onto US 26; N-61

0.9 mi · 1 min · South Highway 26/61

Turn left

0.4 mi · 52 sec

Toward I 80 east

Merge onto I 80

306 mi · 5 hr 10 min · I 80

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 32 sec

Toward NE 31: Gretna, Louisville

Keep slight left at fork

232 ft · 7 sec

Turn left onto N-31; I 80 Alt

0.4 mi · 49 sec · South Highway 31

Continue on US 6; N-31; I 80 Alt

3.1 mi · 4 min · South Highway 6

Turn left onto West Angus Road

173 ft · 9 sec · West Angus Road

Turn right onto Pontiac Drive

444 ft · 19 sec · Pontiac Drive

Arrive at destination

Pontiac Drive

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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 216.5 miles from Scottsbluff, NE, or about 4h 5m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 305.5 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 95 miles or 1h 55m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 216.5 miles or 4h 5m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 6h 44m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gretna, NE than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Scottsbluff, 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.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Scottsbluff, NE

This is one driving day of about 433 miles and 7h 48m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 95 miles from Scottsbluff, NE.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 305.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 216.5 mi from Scottsbluff, NE · 4h 5m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

North Platte, NE

217 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

North Platte, NE

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 95 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Cozad, NE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 216.5 miles from Scottsbluff, NE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 80 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 305.5 miles.

Arriving in Gretna, NE

The final approach into Gretna, 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 Gretna, NE.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Scotts Bluff National Monument

National Monument

Towering 800 feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff has served as a landmark for peoples from Native Americans to emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails to modern travelers. Ri...

3 mi from route ~8 min detour Free

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$65.77 one way

$131.54 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 152 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$72.50	$145.00
premium	$4.80	$81.74	$163.48
diesel	$5.64	$96.20	$192.40

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$66

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$91–$116

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 151.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

EV Charging Along Route

33 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Lonesome Dove Lodge and Cabins - Tesla Supercharger

Ogallala, NE

Tesla

8 DCFC

Runza - Tesla Supercharger

North Platte, NE

Tesla

8 DCFC

Nebraska Barn and Grill - Tesla Supercharger

Gothenburg, NE

Tesla

8 DCFC

Dollar Fresh - Tesla Supercharger

Lexington, NE

Tesla

8 DCFC

Runza - Tesla Supercharger

Kearney, NE

Tesla

8 DCFC

Bosselman Travel Center - Tesla Supercharger

Grand Island, NE

Tesla

8 DCFC

Runza - Tesla Supercharger

Lincoln, NE

Tesla

8 DCFC

Lincoln #3 Hy-Vee - Tesla Supercharger

Lincoln, NE

Tesla

8 DCFC

ChargePoint Network: 12 Tesla: 8 Electrify America: 5 eVgo Network: 2 FORD_CHARGE: 2 Non-Networked: 1 Blink Network: 1 FCN: 1 ABM: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $45 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	129.9	1	$45.46	$20.78
Efficient EV	108.3	1	$37.89	$17.32
EV Truck/SUV	173.2	2	$60.62	$27.71

Gas CO2

151 kg

EV CO2

51 kg (66% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Scottsbluff, NE

Morning in Scottsbluff on Monday

Local time

6:54 AM

MDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gretna, NE

Morning in Gretna on Monday

Local time

7:54 AM

CDT

Current temp

43°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 later

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

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

7h 48m 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 Scottsbluff, NE to Gretna, NE covers 433 miles and takes about 7h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 80, US 26, US Highway 26. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 216.5 miles from Scottsbluff, NE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $65.77 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 2 meaningful breaks 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 7h 48m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 14 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

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

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Trip from Scottsbluff, NE to Gretna, NE

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Gretna, NE

National Parks Near This Route

Scotts Bluff National Monument

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Scottsbluff, NE

Gretna, NE

1 hour later

1 degrees warmer at arrival

7h 48m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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