How far is Chadron, NE from Beatrice, NE?

The driving distance from Chadron, NE to Beatrice, NE is about 485.8 miles (781.9 km), with a travel time of about 07h 20m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 368.5 miles (593 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 41m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT.
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
485.86 mi
07h 20m
Flight
368.45 mi
592.97 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chadron.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
368.45 mi
Kilometers
592.97 km
Flight Time
00h 44m

Driving Distance

Road route
485.86 mi
Kilometers
781.91 km
Drive Time
07h 20m

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 07h 20m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Beatrice
Thu, Apr 23, 10:36 AM CDT
Return by in Chadron
Thu, Apr 23, 4:57 PM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chadron
2026-04-23T02:15
Arrive Beatrice
Thu, Apr 23, 9:36 AM MDT
Route Timing
07h 20m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:21 PM to 3:51 PM CDT

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

Leave by
9:18 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Chadron
8:00 PM MDT
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
Maxwell
NE

Village in Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States

From Chadron
239.4 mi
03h 40m
To Beatrice
246.4 mi
03h 40m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
62°F
Thursday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
30 to 35 mph WNW
Destination
82°F
Thursday

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
20 to 24 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Chadron and Beatrice.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chadron and Beatrice.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    13 m · 5 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto East 3rd Street

    50 m · 12 sec · East 3rd Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Main Street

    2961 ft · 1 min · Main Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto West 10th Street

    1.3 km · 2 min · West 10th Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Highway 385

    27.2 mi · 31 min · Highway 385

  6. 6

    Continue on County Road 65

    15.1 mi · 17 min · County Road 65

  7. 7

    Continue on Highway 385

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Highway 385

  8. 8

    Continue on Highway 2

    7.9 mi · 9 min · Highway 2

  9. 9

    Continue on South Highway 385

    7.3 mi · 8 min · South Highway 385

  10. 10

    Continue on US Highway 385

    26.8 mi · 30 min · US Highway 385

  11. 11

    Continue straight

    84 mi · 1 hr 39 min

  12. 12

    Turn right onto North Spruce Street

    2.7 mi · 5 min · North Spruce Street

  13. 13

    Turn left

    93 m · 8 sec

  14. 14

    Turn right onto South Highway 26/61

    1.4 km · 1 min · South Highway 26/61

  15. 15

    Turn left onto I 80 east

    2067 ft · 52 sec

  16. 16

    Merge slight left

    241.8 mi · 4 hr 2 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward NE 80E Link: Beaver Crossing

    1654 ft · 41 sec

  18. 18

    Turn right onto 420th Road

    8.4 mi · 10 min · 420th Road

  19. 19

    Continue on Highway 80E

    3 mi · 4 min · Highway 80E

  20. 20

    Turn left onto 1st Street

    1 mi · 2 min · 1st Street

  21. 21

    Continue on Highway 6

    5.6 mi · 7 min · Highway 6

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Highway 33

    10 mi · 12 min · Highway 33

  23. 23

    Turn right onto Highway 103

    9.5 mi · 11 min · Highway 103

  24. 24

    Continue on North Main Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · North Main Street

  25. 25

    Continue on Highway 103

    12.9 mi · 15 min · Highway 103

  26. 26

    At the end of the road, turn left onto West Highway 4

    8.6 mi · 11 min · West Highway 4

  27. 27

    Turn left onto West Court Street

    1.4 mi · 4 min · West Court Street

  28. 28

    Turn left onto North 5th Street

    925 ft · 34 sec · North 5th Street

  29. 29

    Turn right

    18 m · 6 sec

  30. 30

    Turn right

    106 m · 26 sec

  31. 31

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chadron and Beatrice.

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
31 steps
17 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 80 east
242 mi · 50%
US Highway 385
111 mi · 23%
Highway 385
29.1 mi · 6%
Highway 103
22.4 mi · 5%
County Road 65
15.1 mi · 3%
Highway 33
10 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 80 east

Merge slight left

242 mi · 04h 02m

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
07h 20m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
14h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+117.3 mi
368.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Maxwell
03h 40m from Chadron
Leave By
9:18 PM MDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Chadron and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Beatrice.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Chadron to Beatrice?

The road trip is about 485.8 miles (781.9 km) and usually takes 07h 20m 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?

Maxwell is a useful midpoint, sitting about 239.4 miles from Chadron and 246.4 miles from Beatrice.

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

The direct path is about 368.5 miles (593 km), while the road route adds roughly 117.3 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 MDT. 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 $64.63 one way or $129.27 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 152.3 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Chadron and Beatrice, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Chadron and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Beatrice.

Stop Ideas Near Maxwell

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Maxwell, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Maxwell.

RAIL

McCook

98 mi away
101 Norris Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chadron and Beatrice. Straight-line distance: 368.45 mi (592.97 km).

Chadron

#1 Chadron

City in Nebraska

Population5,250
Coordinates42.8294200, -102.9999100
Altitude1030
CountryUnited States
Beatrice

#2 Beatrice

City in Gage County, Nebraska, United States

Population12,264
Coordinates40.2680600, -96.7469700
Altitude392
CountryUnited States
Start: (-102.999995, 42.829427)
End: (-96.747018, 40.26814)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 782 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 11m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 08m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 43m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 05m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 56m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 03m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.14 gal
64.9 L · about $64.63
Round trip
$129.27
34.28 gal · 129.8 L
Estimated CO2
152.3 kg one way
Round trip: 304.6 kg / 672 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $64.63 $129.27
Mid-grade $4.25 $72.90 $145.79
Premium $4.65 $79.77 $159.54
Diesel $5.30 $90.91 $181.82

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 Nebraska · Apr 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Chadron, NE and Beatrice, NE. The current time in Chadron is 02:15:49, although it is 03:15:49 in Beatrice.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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