Origin
Fort Atkinson, WI
Late night in Fort Atkinson on Sunday
Local time
3:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Atkinson, WI to Milwaukee, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
58.1 mi
93 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 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Atkinson, WI
Tom Fisk
Milwaukee, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Fort Atkinson to Milwaukee covers a modest 58.1 miles, typically taking about 57 minutes behind the wheel. This trip is perfectly suited as a simple day trip, allowing you to reach your destination in under an hour without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $8 for fuel to complete this journey comfortably. Navigating through the Midwest, you will transition from the smaller community of Fort Atkinson to the larger urban environment of Milwaukee. Because the route is short and straightforward, it serves as a reliable transit option for those looking to connect these two Wisconsin cities quickly.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 43.1 mi | 49m |
| WI 26 | 10.6 mi | 13m |
| North High Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| East-West Freeway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Business State Highway 26 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North 3rd Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Milwaukee Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 43.1 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Atkinson, WI and Milwaukee, WI.
1
Start on US 12; WI 89
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto WI 26 Business
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North 3rd Street
3
Turn left onto WI 26 Business
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North High Street
4
Continue on WI 26 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Business State Highway 26
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward WI 26 North
6
Merge onto WI 26
11 mi
·
13 min
·
WI 26
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 94
43 mi
·
49 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 794
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East-West Freeway
Exit 310C
Toward I 794 East: Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 1E
Toward Jackson Street, Van Buren Street
11
Turn slight right
309 ft
·
14 sec
Toward Jackson Street South
Use the right lane.
12
Turn right onto East Saint Paul Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East Saint Paul Avenue
13
Turn right onto WI 32
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Milwaukee Street
14
Arrive at destination
US 18; WI 32
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29 miles from Fort Atkinson, WI, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 57.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
WI 26
Merge onto WI 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
13 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
13.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 94
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
56.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
I 794 / East-West Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 794 / East-West Freeway toward I 794 East: Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 310C
Toward I 794 East: Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
6
57.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward Jackson Street, Van Buren Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 1E
Toward Jackson Street, Van Buren Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.08 one way
$18.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.97 | $19.95 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.18 | $22.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.83 | $25.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.10 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.13 | $3.72 |
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
Milwaukee, WI
Late night in Milwaukee on Sunday
Local time
3:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
S 10 to 15 mph
88% chance
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
11 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 11m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate via North 3rd Street, North High Street, and Highway 26, requiring your full attention as you transition between these local roads. There are no long, uninterrupted stretches of highway; in fact, the longest segment is 0 miles on North 3rd Street. The road's personality is defined by its local character, making it a more interactive driving experience compared to a high-speed freeway trek. Prepare for frequent adjustments as you maneuver through these surface streets for the duration of the trip.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.1 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and WI 26. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near WI 26.
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 58.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 2.3 miles (WI 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
956 ft
615 ft
Total Climb
172 ft
Total Descent
345 ft
Highest Point
956 ft
~33.2 mi in
Elevation Range
341 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 58.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.1 miles on I 94. 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 Milwaukee, WI 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 2.3 miles (WI 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.3 miles (I 94): 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 Milwaukee, WI 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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