How far is Grand Island, NE from Mitchell, NE?

The driving distance from Grand Island, NE to Mitchell, NE is about 326.5 miles (525.5 km), with a travel time of about 06h 01m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 291.7 miles (469.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 02m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
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
326.52 mi
06h 01m
Flight
291.68 mi
469.41 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Grand Island.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
291.68 mi
Kilometers
469.41 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
326.52 mi
Kilometers
525.49 km
Drive Time
06h 01m

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 06h 01m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Mitchell
Sun, May 3, 9:47 AM MDT
Return by in Grand Island
Sun, May 3, 4:48 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Grand Island
2026-05-03T04:46
Arrive Mitchell
Sun, May 3, 10:47 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 01m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
11:01 AM to 12:31 PM MDT

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

Leave by
11:58 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Grand Island
8:00 PM CDT
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
Sutherland
NE

Historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county of Scotland

From Grand Island
163 mi
03h 00m
To Mitchell
163.5 mi
03h 00m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
71°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 3 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph N
Destination
38°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Sun, May 3 1:00 AM MDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Grand Island and Mitchell.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Grand Island and Mitchell.

  1. 1

    Start on West 3rd Street

    122 m · 25 sec · West 3rd Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto North Walnut Street

    1799 ft · 36 sec · North Walnut Street

  3. 3

    Continue on South Locust Street

    6.4 mi · 11 min · South Locust Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right

    2024 ft · 49 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    186.8 mi · 3 hr 7 min

  6. 6

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

    1578 ft · 40 sec

  7. 7

    Turn right onto South Highway 26/61

    1.1 km · 1 min · South Highway 26/61

  8. 8

    Continue on East A Street

    2278 ft · 50 sec · East A Street

  9. 9

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

    101 m · 10 sec · East 8th Street

  10. 10

    Turn right onto North Spruce Street

    2.2 mi · 4 min · North Spruce Street

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Highway 26 West

    24.2 mi · 28 min · Highway 26 West

  12. 12

    Continue straight

    59.8 mi · 1 hr 11 min

  13. 13

    Turn left

    1 mi · 2 min

  14. 14

    Turn right

    23.6 mi · 28 min

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Highway L79E

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Highway L79E

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Highway 26

    17.6 mi · 22 min · Highway 26

  17. 17

    Continue on Broadway Street

    2177 ft · 1 min · Broadway Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Center Avenue

    933 ft · 41 sec · Center Avenue

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Center Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Grand Island and Mitchell.

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
19 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South Locust Street
194 mi · 59%
Highway 26 West
84 mi · 26%
Highway 26
17.6 mi · 5%
North Spruce Street
2.25 mi · 1%
Highway L79E
2.14 mi · 1%
South Highway 26/61
0.67 mi
Longest Stretch

South Locust Street

Merge slight left

187 mi · 03h 07m

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
06h 01m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+34.8 mi
291.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sutherland
03h 00m from Grand Island
Leave By
11:58 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Grand Island and Mostly Clear near Mitchell.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Grand Island to Mitchell?

The road trip is about 326.5 miles (525.5 km) and usually takes 06h 01m 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?

Sutherland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 163 miles from Grand Island and 163.5 miles from Mitchell.

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

The direct path is about 291.7 miles (469.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 34.8 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 CDT. 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 $43.44 one way or $86.88 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 102.4 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Grand Island and Mostly Clear near Mitchell.

Stop Ideas Near Sutherland

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Sutherland, 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 Sutherland.

RAIL

McCook

115 mi away
101 Norris Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Grand Island and Mitchell. Straight-line distance: 291.68 mi (469.41 km).

Grand Island

#1 Grand Island

The most populous city in Hall County, Nebraska.

Population51,004
Coordinates40.9250100, -98.3420100
Altitude567
CountryUnited States
Mitchell

#2 Mitchell

City in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, United States

Population1,608
Coordinates41.9402400, -103.8085600
Altitude1205
CountryUnited States
Start: Grand Island (-98.34201, 40.92501)
End: Mitchell (-103.80856, 41.94024)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 525 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 52m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 31m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 26m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 39m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 04m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.52 gal
43.62 L · about $43.44
Round trip
$86.88
23.04 gal · 87.24 L
Estimated CO2
102.4 kg one way
Round trip: 204.8 kg / 452 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $43.44 $86.88
Mid-grade $4.25 $48.99 $97.99
Premium $4.65 $53.61 $107.23
Diesel $5.30 $61.10 $122.20

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 · May 03, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Grand Island, NE and Mitchell, NE. The current time in Grand Island is 04:46:10, although it is 03:46:10 in Mitchell.

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.