How far is Lincoln, NE from Sidney, NE?

The driving distance from Lincoln, NE to Sidney, NE is about 347.5 miles (559.3 km), with a travel time of about 06h 00m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 330 miles (531.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 01m 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
347.52 mi
06h 00m
Flight
330.01 mi
531.1 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lincoln.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
330.01 mi
Kilometers
531.1 km
Flight Time
00h 39m

Driving Distance

Road route
347.52 mi
Kilometers
559.28 km
Drive Time
06h 00m

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 00m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sidney
Thu, Apr 23, 4:38 AM MDT
Return by in Lincoln
Thu, Apr 23, 11:38 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lincoln
2026-04-22T23:37
Arrive Sidney
Thu, Apr 23, 5:38 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 00m
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 Lincoln
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
Lexington
NE

City in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States

From Lincoln
173.4 mi
03h 00m
To Sidney
174.2 mi
03h 00m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 22 mph S
Destination
86°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
10 to 25 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lincoln and Sidney.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lincoln and Sidney.

  1. 1

    Start on B Street

    93 m · 16 sec · B Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South 37th Street

    103 m · 17 sec · South 37th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto A Street

    1983 ft · 55 sec · A Street

  4. 4

    Turn slight right onto Capitol Parkway

    1.2 mi · 3 min · Capitol Parkway

  5. 5

    Continue on L Street

    1.5 km · 3 min · L Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Rosa Parks Way

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Rosa Parks Way

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 77 north, To I 80

    1619 ft · 40 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Homestead Expressway

    1.2 km · 57 sec · Homestead Expressway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Grand Island

    1.3 km · 2 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    293.3 mi · 4 hr 57 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Sidney, Cheyanne

    43.5 mi · 43 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward NE 17J Link: Sidney, Bridgeport

    1806 ft · 45 sec

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Upland Parkway

    1.4 km · 1 min · Upland Parkway

  14. 14

    Continue on Link 17J

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Link 17J

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Illinois Street

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Illinois Street

  16. 16

    Turn left onto 10th Avenue

    723 ft · 17 sec · 10th Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn right onto King Street

    106 m · 21 sec · King Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto 11th Avenue

    8 m · 1 sec · 11th Avenue

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 11th Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lincoln and Sidney.

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
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 80 West
338 mi · 97%
Rosa Parks Way
1.91 mi · 1%
Illinois Street
1.66 mi
Link 17J
1.22 mi
Capitol Parkway
1.18 mi
L Street
0.94 mi
Longest Stretch

I 80 West

Merge slight left

293 mi · 04h 57m

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 00m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+17.5 mi
330 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lexington
03h 00m from Lincoln
Leave By
11:58 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Lincoln and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Sidney.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lincoln to Sidney?

The road trip is about 347.5 miles (559.3 km) and usually takes 06h 00m 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?

Lexington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 173.4 miles from Lincoln and 174.2 miles from Sidney.

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

The direct path is about 330 miles (531.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 17.5 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 $46.23 one way or $92.46 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 109 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Lincoln and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Sidney.

Stop Ideas Near Lexington

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

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

RAIL

Holdrege

49 mi away
100 West Ave.
RAIL

McCook

99 mi away
101 Norris Ave.
RAIL

Hastings

116 mi away
501 West First St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lincoln and Sidney. Straight-line distance: 330.01 mi (531.1 km).

Lincoln

#1 Lincoln

The capital of Nebraska and the center of the Lincoln metropolitan area.

Population290,505
Coordinates40.8000000, -96.6669600
Altitude367
CountryUnited States
Sidney

#2 Sidney

City in Nebraska, United States

Population6,235
Coordinates41.1427600, -102.9779800
Altitude1246
CountryUnited States
Start: Lincoln (-96.66696, 40.8)
End: Sidney (-102.97798, 41.14276)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 559 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 34m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 57m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 47m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 57m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.26 gal
46.42 L · about $46.23
Round trip
$92.46
24.52 gal · 92.84 L
Estimated CO2
109 kg one way
Round trip: 217.9 kg / 480 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $46.23 $92.46
Mid-grade $4.25 $52.14 $104.28
Premium $4.65 $57.06 $114.12
Diesel $5.30 $65.03 $130.05

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 Lincoln, NE and Sidney, NE. The current time in Lincoln is 23:37:39, although it is 22:37:39 in Sidney.

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.