Trip from Wayne, NE to Beatrice, NE

Drive Time

2h 41m

Distance

160.1 mi

258 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$24

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 31m ★
6 AM
2h 42m
8 AM
3h 3m
10 AM
2h 49m
12 PM
2h 47m
3 PM
2h 50m
5 PM
3h 2m
8 PM
2h 36m

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

Downtown Wayne, NE, NE

Wayne, NE

Alina Vilchenko

Downtown Beatrice, NE, NE

Beatrice, NE

Jean-Paul Wettstein

Trip Overview

The drive from Wayne, NE to Beatrice, NE covers 160.1 miles and takes about 2h 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Highway 15, Highway 275, Road 11 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.32 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.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

80 miles from Wayne, NE

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 20m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 41m drive with frequent turns across 160.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Highway 15 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. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Wayne, NE to Beatrice, NE is easy. At 2h 41m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Highway 15 Unavailable Refreshing
Highway 275 Unavailable Refreshing
Road 11 Unavailable Refreshing
Colfax Street Unavailable Refreshing
Q Road Unavailable Refreshing
32 Road Unavailable Refreshing
County Road K Unavailable Refreshing
County Road 28 Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Highway 15 — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wayne, NE and Beatrice, NE.

1

Start on Main Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Main Street
2

Continue on Highway 15

14 mi · 16 min · Highway 15
3

At the end of the road, turn right onto Highway 275

2.0 mi · 2 min · Highway 275
4

Turn left onto Highway 15

19 mi · 21 min · Highway 15
5

Continue on Road 11

19 mi · 22 min · Road 11
6

Continue on Colfax Street

2.1 mi · 3 min · Colfax Street
7

Continue on Road 11

1.6 mi · 2 min · Road 11
8

Continue on Q Road

4.3 mi · 5 min · Q Road
9

Turn left onto Q Road

9.8 mi · 15 min · Q Road
10

Turn left onto 32 Road

8.0 mi · 9 min · 32 Road
11

Continue on County Road K

4.0 mi · 4 min · County Road K
12

Turn right onto County Road 28

8.1 mi · 9 min · County Road 28
13

Continue on Cedar Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · Cedar Street
14

Continue on County Road 28

1.1 mi · 1 min · County Road 28
15

Continue on Highway 79

1.0 mi · 1 min · Highway 79
16

Continue on Nebraska Highway 79

4.8 mi · 5 min · Nebraska Highway 79
17

Continue on Northwest 56th Street

6.6 mi · 7 min · Northwest 56th Street
18

At the end of the road, turn left onto West US Highway 34

1.6 mi · 2 min · West US Highway 34
19

Continue on Purple Heart Highway

2.8 mi · 3 min · Purple Heart Highway
20

Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 West, US 77 South: Municipal Airport

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 80 West, US 77 South: Municipal Airport
21

Merge slight left

2.9 mi · 3 min
22

Take the exit slight right toward US 77 South: Beatrice

0.5 mi · 55 sec · US 77 South: Beatrice
23

Keep slight left to continue on US 77 South: Beatrice

9.1 mi · 11 min · US 77 South: Beatrice
24

Keep slight right to continue on US Highway 77

1.5 mi · 1 min · US Highway 77
25

Continue on South 12th Street

6.8 mi · 7 min · South 12th Street
26

Continue on US Highway 77

3.8 mi · 4 min · US Highway 77
27

Continue on Highway 77

16 mi · 17 min · Highway 77
28

Continue on North 6th Street

2.8 mi · 5 min · North 6th Street
29

Turn slight right

92 ft · 14 sec
30

Turn left

82 ft · 7 sec
31

Turn right

36 ft · 3 sec
32

Arrive at your 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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 80 miles from Wayne, NE, or about 1h 20m 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 80 miles or 1h 20m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 80 miles or 1h 20m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 12m

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 Wayne, 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 Wayne, NE

This is one driving day of about 160.1 miles and 2h 41m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Wayne, 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 80 mi from Wayne, NE · 1h 20m into the drive

Downtown Lincoln, NE, NE

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lincoln, NE

80 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.

Popular next leg

Lincoln, NE to Beatrice, NE

40.8 mi · 52m

Pacing Suggestions

Lincoln, NE

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lincoln, NE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 80 miles from Wayne, NE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Beatrice, NE

The final approach into Beatrice, 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 Beatrice, 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

$24.32 one way

$48.64 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 56 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $26.81 $53.61
premium $4.80 $30.22 $60.45
diesel $5.64 $35.57 $71.14

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$24

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$49–$74

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 56 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 48 0 $16.81 $7.68
Efficient EV 40 0 $14.01 $6.40
EV Truck/SUV 64 0 $22.41 $10.25

Gas CO2

56 kg

EV CO2

19 kg (66% 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 data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Wayne, NE

Evening in Wayne on Sunday

Local time

5:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Beatrice, NE

Evening in Beatrice on Sunday

Local time

5:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

43°F

Lincoln, NE

80 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

28 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

2h 41m 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 Wayne, NE to Beatrice, NE covers 160.1 miles and takes about 2h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Highway 15, Highway 275, Road 11. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 80 miles from Wayne, NE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.32 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Wayne, NE to Beatrice, NE is easy. At 2h 41m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Wayne, NE to Beatrice, NE is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Wayne, NE to Beatrice, NE does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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