Origin
Cambridge, MN
Morning in Cambridge on Tuesday
Local time
6:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cambridge, MN to Minneapolis, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
47 mi
76 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cambridge, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Connecting Cambridge to Minneapolis, this 47-mile route is a straightforward journey that typically takes about one hour to complete. You will navigate using a combination of the Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway, US 10, and MN 65. Because of the manageable distance, this trip is perfectly suited as a simple one-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. Budgeting approximately $7 for fuel makes this an economical choice for a quick trip between these two Midwest locations. The drive offers a functional connection between the smaller-town feel of Cambridge and the urban hub of Minneapolis, ensuring you reach your destination without unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway | 18.2 mi | 21m |
| US 10 | 14.3 mi | 17m |
| MN 65 | 12.1 mi | 15m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 1st Avenue West | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway
— 18.2 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MN and Minneapolis, MN.
1
Start on MN 95
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Avenue West
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
3
Merge onto MN 65
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway
Use the right lane.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 65
12 mi
·
15 min
·
MN 65
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward US 10 East
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Merge onto US 10
14 mi
·
17 min
·
US 10
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 17C
Toward Washington Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn right onto CR 152
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Avenue South
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
9
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from Cambridge, 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 1 and 46.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway
Merge onto MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
19.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
MN 65
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
31.3 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward US 10 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 10 East
7
46 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward Washington Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17C
Toward Washington Avenue
6
46.2 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
CR 152 / Washington Avenue South
Turn right onto CR 152 / Washington Avenue South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.99 one way
$13.99 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $7.54 | $15.07 |
| premium | $4.53 | $8.39 | $16.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.38 | $20.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.11 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.58 | $3.01 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Minneapolis, MN
Morning in Minneapolis on Tuesday
Local time
6:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°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
26 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 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?
Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition between various road types along this 47-mile stretch. With 56% of the journey taking place on highways, you will encounter a blend of faster-paced sections and more localized road segments. Your longest uninterrupted run occurs on the Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway, which spans 18.2 miles before the character of the road begins to shift. This variety keeps the drive from feeling like a monotonous interstate grind, though you should remain attentive as the traffic density fluctuates while moving toward the Minneapolis metro area.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.2 mi on Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 47 miles you will encounter 7 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 1 miles (MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles (MN 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Minneapolis, MN
Full guide →Minneapolis is a city of about 430,000 people (2019) and the largest city in Minnesota. Along with neighboring Saint Paul, it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolitan area in the Midwest after Chicago and Detroit.
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. Total distance: 47 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.2 miles on Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Minneapolis, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 1 miles (MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles (MN 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Minneapolis, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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