Origin
Blaine, MN
Afternoon in Blaine on Friday
Local time
12:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Blaine, MN to Pine City, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
56.2 mi
90 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blaine, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Pine City, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Blaine to Pine City is 56.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via I-35W and I-35, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Minnesota, moving from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area northeast toward the more rural landscape surrounding Pine City. It's a straightforward drive that's perfect for a quick trip or as part of a larger Midwest adventure. You'll find it convenient for a day trip or a short overnight stay, with minimal time spent on the road.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 37.2 mi | 39m |
| I 35W | 12.7 mi | 13m |
| 109th Avenue Northeast | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Hillside Avenue Southwest | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Lexington Avenue Northeast | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street South | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Central Avenue Northeast | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Avenue Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 37.2 mi, about 39m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,068 veh/hr typical · worst 2,574
Quietest
1 AM
~82 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
25.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 86 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blaine, MN and Pine City, MN.
1
Start on MN 65
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Central Avenue Northeast
2
Turn right onto CR 12
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
109th Avenue Northeast
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto CR 17
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lexington Avenue Northeast
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 35W North
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 35W
13 mi
·
13 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
37 mi
·
39 min
·
I 35
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward CR 7, I 35 Business: Pine City
8
Turn right onto I 35 BUS; CR 7
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Avenue Southwest
9
Turn left onto I 35 BUS; CR 61
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Main Street South
10
Turn right onto CR 8
414 ft
·
13 sec
·
3rd Avenue Southeast
11
Turn right onto Railroad Street Southeast
212 ft
·
9 sec
·
Railroad Street Southeast
12
Arrive at destination
Railroad Street Southeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.1 miles from Blaine, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 56.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 12 / 109th Avenue Northeast
Turn right onto CR 12 / 109th Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
4.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Turn left toward I 35W North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 35W North
5
4.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 35W
Merge onto I 35W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
54.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward CR 7, I 35 Business: Pine City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CR 7, I 35 Business: Pine City
5
56.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
Railroad Street Southeast
Turn right onto Railroad Street Southeast
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.90 one way
$17.80 round trip
$4.02/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $9.48 | $18.95 |
| premium | $4.85 | $10.73 | $21.45 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $12.39 | $24.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.90 | $2.70 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.5 | 0 | $7.87 | $3.60 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Pine City, MN
Afternoon in Pine City on Friday
Local time
12:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Columbus, MN
28 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
6 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 4m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway, with 89% of the 56.2 miles on major roads like I-35W and I-35. You'll experience a long stretch of 37.2 miles on I-35, offering a chance for consistent cruising. Expect a mostly highway feel until you approach your destination, where the highway eventually gives way to local roads like 109th Avenue Northeast. The dense exit activity typical of interstates will likely be present for much of the drive.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.2 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 35W. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near CR 12 / 109th Avenue Northeast.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.2 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (CR 12 / 109th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles (I 35W): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
988 ft
896 ft
Total Climb
101 ft
Total Descent
55 ft
Highest Point
988 ft
~52.2 mi in
Elevation Range
92 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Blaine, MN
Full guide →Founded 1877
Arriving in Pine City, MN
Full guide →Founded 1881
Pine City is a city in east central Minnesota with the tagline "North. Nice and close." The Pine City zip code (55063), which is a more accurate reflection of the size of the town, has a population of approximately 10,000 people and even more native pine trees. It's an easy day trip from the Twin Cities to Pine City, the largest city in, and county seat of Pine County.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 56.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.2 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (CR 12 / 109th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles (I 35W): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Pine City, MN before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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