Origin
Bloomington, MN
Night in Bloomington on Friday
Local time
10:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bloomington, MN to Faribault, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
39.8 mi
64 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Faribault, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Bloomington, MN to Faribault, MN covers 39.8 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35W, Lyndale Avenue North, 4th Street Northwest for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 36.3 miles on I 35W. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.50 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35W | 36.3 mi | 39m |
| Lyndale Avenue North | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| 4th Street Northwest | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Highway 60 West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| I 35 Business | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Shieldsville Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 90th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Bloomington Freeway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35W
— 36.3 mi, about 39m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,032 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~194 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 82 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 Bloomington, MN and Faribault, MN.
1
Start on West 90th Street
207 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 90th Street
2
Turn left onto West Bloomington Freeway
150 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Bloomington Freeway
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 35W South
4
Merge onto I 35W
36 mi
·
39 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
296 ft
·
3 sec
Toward MN 21
6
Continue on I 35 Business
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
I 35 Business
Toward MN 21, I 35 Business
7
Continue on MN 21; I 35 Business; I 35 Alternate
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Shieldsville Boulevard
8
Continue on I 35 Business; MN 21; I 35 Alternate
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Lyndale Avenue North
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left onto MN 60
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Highway 60 West
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on MN 60
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Street Northwest
11
Turn left
69 ft
·
5 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.9 miles from Bloomington, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 38.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Bloomington Freeway
Turn left onto West Bloomington Freeway
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 35W South
Navigation decision point
Toward I 35W South
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 35W
Merge onto I 35W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
36.5 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward MN 21
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward MN 21
4
38.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
MN 60 / Highway 60 West
Turn left onto MN 60 / Highway 60 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.50 one way
$12.99 round trip
$4.15/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $6.99 | $13.98 |
| premium | $4.95 | $7.76 | $15.52 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $9.35 | $18.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.18 | $1.91 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.48 | $1.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.57 | $2.55 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Faribault, MN
Night in Faribault on Friday
Local time
10:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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
46m 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?
39.8 mi in 46m, mostly highway — 36.3 mi of that is on I 35W.
92% 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: 36.3 mi on I 35W.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and Lyndale Avenue North. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Bloomington Freeway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 46m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Bloomington Freeway): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (I 35W): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,115 ft
700 ft
Total Climb
555 ft
Total Descent
386 ft
Highest Point
1,115 ft
~19.9 mi in
Elevation Range
415 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Bloomington, MN
Full guide →Founded 1843
Bloomington, Minnesota is a suburb of Minneapolis. It is near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP IATA) and home to the Mall of America, the United States' largest shopping mall. Bloomington has a population of 89,000 people (as of 2021). Bloomington was established as a post–World War II housing boom suburb connected to Minneapolis's urban street grid, and is served by two major freeways: Interstate 35W and Interstate 494.
Top landmarks
- • Nickelodeon Universe — amusement park inside Mall of America
- • SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge — amusement ride
- • SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium
Arriving in Faribault, MN
Full guide →Founded 1855
Faribault (pronounced FAYR-boh) is a city in Southern Minnesota. It is the county seat of Rice County and located at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight rivers.
Top landmarks
- • Shattuck-Saint Mary's School — private secondary school in Faribault, Minnesota
- • Alexander Faribault House — Historic house in Faribault, Minnesota, United States
- • Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour — historic church in Minnesota, United States
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 46m. Total distance: 39.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.3 miles on I 35W. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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: near the start (West Bloomington Freeway): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.2 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 Faribault, 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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