How far is Ralston, NE from Lexington, NE?

The driving distance from Ralston, NE to Lexington, NE is about 215.2 miles (346.3 km), with a travel time of about 03h 06m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 195.1 miles (314 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 13m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
215.2 mi
03h 06m
Flight
195.1 mi
313.99 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ralston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
195.1 mi
Kilometers
313.99 km
Flight Time
00h 23m

Driving Distance

Road route
215.2 mi
Kilometers
346.33 km
Drive Time
03h 06m

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 03h 06m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lexington
Wed, Apr 15, 12:56 PM CDT
Return by in Ralston
Wed, Apr 15, 4:03 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ralston
2026-04-15T09:49
Arrive Lexington
Wed, Apr 15, 12:56 PM CDT
Route Timing
03h 06m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:07 AM to 11:07 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
10:46 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Ralston
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Henderson
NE

City in York County, Nebraska, United States

From Ralston
106.5 mi
01h 33m
To Lexington
108.7 mi
01h 33m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 8 mph NNE
Destination
48°F
Overnight

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 4:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Ralston and Lexington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ralston and Lexington.

  1. 1

    Start on Q Street

    54 m · 12 sec · Q Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Q Street

    98 m · 19 sec · Q Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto South 84th Street

    1 mi · 2 min · South 84th Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Harrison Street

    3.6 mi · 6 min · Harrison Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Giles Road

    1378 ft · 29 sec · Giles Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 West

    2210 ft · 43 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    204.9 mi · 3 hr 30 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward US 283: Lexington, Arapahoe

    1896 ft · 34 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on US 283 North: Lexington

    54 m · 6 sec

  10. 10

    Turn straight onto Plum Creek Parkway

    2.3 mi · 4 min · Plum Creek Parkway

  11. 11

    Continue on North Jackson Street

    813 ft · 20 sec · North Jackson Street

  12. 12

    Turn left onto East 6th Street

    759 ft · 23 sec · East 6th Street

  13. 13

    Turn right onto North Washington Street

    735 ft · 20 sec · North Washington Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Washington Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Ralston and Lexington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
14 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 80 West
205 mi · 95%
Harrison Street
3.61 mi · 2%
Plum Creek Parkway
2.27 mi · 1%
South 84th Street
1.01 mi
US 283
0.36 mi
Giles Road
0.26 mi
Longest Stretch

I 80 West

Merge slight left

205 mi · 03h 30m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 06m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+20.1 mi
195.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Henderson
01h 33m from Ralston
Leave By
10:46 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Ralston and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lexington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Ralston to Lexington?

The road trip is about 215.2 miles (346.3 km) and usually takes 03h 06m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Henderson is a useful midpoint, sitting about 106.5 miles from Ralston and 108.7 miles from Lexington.

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

The direct path is about 195.1 miles (314 km), while the road route adds roughly 20.1 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 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:46 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $28.62 one way or $57.24 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 67.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Ralston and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lexington.

Stop Ideas Near Henderson

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

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

RAIL

Hastings

53 mi away
501 West First St.
RAIL

Lincoln

93 mi away
201 North 7th St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ralston and Lexington. Straight-line distance: 195.1 mi (313.99 km).

Ralston

#1 Ralston

City in Douglas County, Nebraska, United States

Population7,254
Coordinates41.2052800, -96.0425200
Altitude349
CountryUnited States
Lexington

#2 Lexington

City in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States

Population10,109
Coordinates40.7808400, -99.7415000
Altitude729
CountryUnited States
Start: Q Street (-96.04252, 41.20525)
End: North Washington Street (-99.741509, 40.78084)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 346 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 10m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 22m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 18m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 35m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 04m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 41m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.59 gal
28.75 L · about $28.62
Round trip
$57.24
15.18 gal · 57.5 L
Estimated CO2
67.5 kg one way
Round trip: 134.9 kg / 297 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $28.62 $57.24
Mid-grade $4.25 $32.28 $64.56
Premium $4.65 $35.32 $70.65
Diesel $5.30 $40.26 $80.51

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 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Ralston and Lexington. The current time is 09:49:28.

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.