How far is Mitchell, NE from Lincoln, NE?

The driving distance from Mitchell, NE to Lincoln, NE is about 408.3 miles (657.1 km), with a travel time of about 06h 14m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 378.5 miles (609.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 28m 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
408.3 mi
06h 14m
Flight
378.47 mi
609.09 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Mitchell.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
378.47 mi
Kilometers
609.09 km
Flight Time
00h 45m

Driving Distance

Road route
408.3 mi
Kilometers
657.1 km
Drive Time
06h 14m

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 14m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lincoln
Thu, Apr 23, 12:16 PM CDT
Return by in Mitchell
Thu, Apr 23, 5:30 PM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Mitchell
2026-04-23T05:01
Arrive Lincoln
Thu, Apr 23, 11:16 AM MDT
Route Timing
06h 14m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:14 PM to 2:44 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
11:32 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Mitchell
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
Brady
NE

Village in Nebraska

From Mitchell
203.9 mi
03h 07m
To Lincoln
204.4 mi
03h 07m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Thursday

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
30 to 40 mph WNW
Destination
83°F
Thursday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
16 to 21 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Center Avenue

    933 ft · 45 sec · Center Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Broadway Street

    2215 ft · 60 sec · Broadway Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Highway 26

    17.5 mi · 22 min · Highway 26

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Highway L79E

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Highway L79E

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Highway 92

    11 mi · 13 min · Highway 92

  6. 6

    Continue on US Highway 26

    12.5 mi · 15 min · US Highway 26

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1 mi · 2 min · Main Street

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    84 mi · 1 hr 39 min

  9. 9

    Turn right onto North Spruce Street

    2.7 mi · 5 min · North Spruce Street

  10. 10

    Turn left

    93 m · 8 sec

  11. 11

    Turn right onto South Highway 26/61

    1.4 km · 1 min · South Highway 26/61

  12. 12

    Turn left onto I 80 east

    2067 ft · 52 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    269.8 mi · 4 hr 33 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward US 77 South, To NE 2: Beatrice, Nebraska City

    2614 ft · 44 sec

  15. 15

    Continue on Homestead Expressway

    1.2 km · 55 sec · Homestead Expressway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward Rosa Parks Way

    959 ft · 23 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Rosa Parks Way, Downtown Lincoln

    635 ft · 18 sec

  18. 18

    Turn slight left onto Rosa Parks Way

    2 mi · 3 min · Rosa Parks Way

  19. 19

    Continue on K Street

    1 mi · 3 min · K Street

  20. 20

    Continue on Capitol Parkway

    1 mi · 2 min · Capitol Parkway

  21. 21

    Turn left onto A Street

    2046 ft · 60 sec · A Street

  22. 22

    Turn left onto South 37th Street

    103 m · 17 sec · South 37th Street

  23. 23

    Turn right onto B Street

    93 m · 11 sec · B Street

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · B Street

Car Route Details

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

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
24 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 80 east
270 mi · 66%
Main Street
85 mi · 21%
Highway 26
17.5 mi · 4%
US Highway 26
12.5 mi · 3%
Highway 92
11 mi · 3%
North Spruce Street
2.68 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 80 east

Merge slight left

270 mi · 04h 33m

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 14m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 28m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+29.8 mi
378.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Brady
03h 07m from Mitchell
Leave By
11:32 PM MDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Mitchell and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lincoln.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 408.3 miles (657.1 km) and usually takes 06h 14m 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?

Brady is a useful midpoint, sitting about 203.9 miles from Mitchell and 204.4 miles from Lincoln.

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

The direct path is about 378.5 miles (609.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 29.8 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 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 $54.34 one way or $108.68 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 128.1 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain Showers around Mitchell and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lincoln.

Stop Ideas Near Brady

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

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

RAIL

McCook

94 mi away
101 Norris Ave.
RAIL

Holdrege

106 mi away
100 West Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Mitchell and Lincoln. Straight-line distance: 378.47 mi (609.09 km).

Mitchell

#1 Mitchell

City in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, United States

Population1,608
Coordinates41.9402400, -103.8085600
Altitude1205
CountryUnited States
Lincoln

#2 Lincoln

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

Population290,505
Coordinates40.8000000, -96.6669600
Altitude367
CountryUnited States
Start: 13th Street (-103.808562, 41.940154)
End: B Street (-96.66696, 40.799868)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 657 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)13h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 12m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 09m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 48m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 49m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 05m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
14.41 gal
54.54 L · about $54.34
Round trip
$108.68
28.82 gal · 109.08 L
Estimated CO2
128.1 kg one way
Round trip: 256.1 kg / 565 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $54.34 $108.68
Mid-grade $4.25 $61.29 $122.57
Premium $4.65 $67.06 $134.13
Diesel $5.30 $76.43 $152.86

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 Mitchell, NE and Lincoln, NE. The current time in Mitchell is 05:01:45, although it is 06:01:45 in Lincoln.

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.