How far is Ashland, WI from Kearney, NE?

The driving distance from Ashland, WI to Kearney, NE is about 777.7 miles (1251.6 km), with a travel time of about 14h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 577.1 miles (928.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 29h 00m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
777.72 mi
14h 30m
Flight
577.13 mi
928.8 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ashland.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
577.13 mi
Kilometers
928.8 km
Flight Time
01h 09m

Driving Distance

Road route
777.72 mi
Kilometers
1251.62 km
Drive Time
14h 30m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 14h 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kearney
Sat, Nov 7, 2:16 AM CST
Return by in Ashland
Sat, Nov 7, 4:46 PM CST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ashland
2026-11-06T11:45
Arrive Kearney
Sat, Nov 7, 2:16 AM CST
Route Timing
14h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CST
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
8:30 PM to 10:00 PM CST

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
7:00 AM CST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Ashland
8:00 PM CST
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Dows
IA

Human settlement in Iowa, United States of America

From Ashland
387.9 mi
07h 15m
To Kearney
389.8 mi
07h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
43°F
Friday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 6:00 AM CST
Wind
0 to 5 mph NE
Destination
29°F
Overnight

Widespread Fog

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 5:00 AM CST
Wind
0 mph

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Ashland and Kearney.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ashland and Kearney.

  1. 1

    Start on Lake Shore Drive East

    97 m · 16 sec · Lake Shore Drive East

  2. 2

    Continue on Lake Shore Drive East

    2.4 mi · 6 min · Lake Shore Drive East

  3. 3

    Continue on Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

  4. 4

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

    48 m · 9 sec · Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

  5. 5

    Exit the roundabout onto Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

    54 mi · 1 hr 15 min · Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

  6. 6

    Continue straight

    6.1 mi · 12 min

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Lenroot Highway

    2327 ft · 1 min · Lenroot Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on Belknap Street

    2 mi · 5 min · Belknap Street

  9. 9

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

    43 m · 8 sec · Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

  10. 10

    Exit the roundabout onto Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

    1.5 km · 1 min · Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway

  11. 11

    Continue on Bong Memorial Bridge

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Bong Memorial Bridge

  12. 12

    Take the exit left

    36.6 mi · 40 min

  13. 13

    Continue straight

    89.1 mi · 1 hr 35 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on I 35W: Minneapolis

    261 mi · 4 hr 46 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport

    14.3 mi · 16 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Omaha

    95.5 mi · 1 hr 43 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska

    23.7 mi · 26 min

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West Express: Council Bluffs, Omaha

    186.3 mi · 3 hr 14 min

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward NE 44: Kearney, Archway Monument

    1748 ft · 34 sec

  20. 20

    Turn right onto 2nd Avenue

    2 mi · 4 min · 2nd Avenue

  21. 21

    Turn right onto West 24th Street

    730 ft · 37 sec · West 24th Street

  22. 22

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    16 m · 1 sec · Central Avenue

  23. 23

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Central Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Ashland and Kearney.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
23 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
0 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 35W
261 mi · 34%
I 80 West Express
186 mi · 24%
Bong Memorial Bridge
127 mi · 16%
I 80 West
119 mi · 15%
Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway
62.4 mi · 8%
I 35 South
14.3 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 35W

Keep slight right to continue on I 35W: Minneapolis

261 mi · 04h 46m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
14h 30m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
29h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+200.6 mi
577.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Dows
07h 15m from Ashland
Leave By
7:00 AM CST
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Ashland and Widespread Fog near Kearney.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Ashland to Kearney?

The road trip is about 777.7 miles (1251.6 km) and usually takes 14h 30m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Dows is a useful midpoint, sitting about 387.9 miles from Ashland and 389.8 miles from Kearney.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 577.1 miles (928.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 200.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CST. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $112.56 one way or $225.12 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 243.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Ashland and Widespread Fog near Kearney.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ashland and Kearney. Straight-line distance: 577.13 mi (928.8 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Ashland

Civil town in Ashland County, Wisconsin

Population575
Coordinates46.5924400, -90.8838000
Altitude197
CountryUnited States
Kearney

#2 Kearney

City in and county seat of Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States

Population34,235
Coordinates40.6994600, -99.0814800
Altitude656
CountryUnited States
Start: Ashland (-90.8838, 46.59244)
End: Kearney (-99.08148, 40.69946)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1252 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)25h 54m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)19h 26m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)15h 33m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)12h 57m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)11h 06m
80 mph (129 km/h)09h 42m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
27.44 gal
103.88 L · about $112.56
Round trip
$225.12
54.88 gal · 207.76 L
Estimated CO2
243.9 kg one way
Round trip: 487.7 kg / 1075 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.10 $112.56 $225.12
Mid-grade $4.75 $130.29 $260.57
Premium $5.29 $145.24 $290.48
Diesel $6.27 $172.02 $344.04

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Wisconsin · Nov 06, 2026

There is no time difference between Ashland and Kearney. The current time is 11:45:59.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.