Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 30m
Distance
75.9 mi
122 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eden Prairie, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Rush City, MN
Tom Fisk
Eden Prairie, MN to Rush City, MN is 75.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 30 minutes via I-35, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, beginning and ending in Minnesota. You'll be on highways for most of the drive, making it a straightforward connection between these two points. Consider this route if you need a quick, efficient way to get from the Minneapolis suburbs north towards Wisconsin or further into Minnesota. It’s a practical choice for a same-day trip without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38 miles from Eden Prairie, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 47m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 27.5 mi | 29m |
| I 35W | 19.8 mi | 21m |
| MN 100 | 13.2 mi | 16m |
| I 694 | 5.3 mi | 5m |
| US 212 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Crosstown Highway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| West 4th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Scenic Heights Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,239 veh/hr typical · worst 3,777
Quietest
2 AM
~109 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
29.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 86 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Eden Prairie, MN and Rush City, MN.
Start on Scenic Heights Road
Turn left onto Mitchell Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
Continue on MN 62
Take the exit
Merge onto MN 100
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 694
Take the exit
Merge onto I 35W
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Take the exit
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Turn left onto South Eliot Avenue
Arrive at destination
Given the short 1 hour 30 minute drive time, you have a lot of flexibility with when to depart. Leaving in the morning or early afternoon allows you to complete the 75.9 miles with plenty of daylight. Since this is a relatively short trip with a fuel cost estimated at $12, you likely won't need to make extensive stops for gas. However, with 92% of the route on highways, it's wise to take advantage of the rest areas or service plazas on I-35 for any needed breaks before you reach Rush City.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 17 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38 miles or 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rush City, MN than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Eden Prairie, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Eden Prairie, MN
This is one driving day of about 75.9 miles and 1h 30m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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.
A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 38 miles from Eden Prairie, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 30.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward US 212 East, MN 5 East
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MN 100 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 35W North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$12.02 one way
$24.04 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $12.80 | $25.60 |
| premium | $4.85 | $14.49 | $28.97 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $16.73 | $33.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.97 | $3.64 |
| Efficient EV | 19 | 0 | $6.64 | $3.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.4 | 0 | $10.63 | $4.86 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Eden Prairie on Tuesday
Local time
9:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Night in Rush City on Tuesday
Local time
9:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect to be on highways for 92% of this 75.9-mile trip. The longest continuous stretch on a main road is 27.5 miles, which occurs on I-35. You'll experience mostly highway cruising, with a high concentration of exits and potential for merging traffic as you navigate the interstate system for the majority of your travel. The transition to surface roads will occur as you approach your destination in Rush City.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 35W. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 75.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles (US 212; MN 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
146 ft
Total Descent
107 ft
Highest Point
928 ft
~70.5 mi in
Elevation Range
91 ft
Founded 1858
Eden Prairie is a suburban city in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 30m. Total distance: 75.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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