Franklin, WI to Holmen, WI is 214.6 miles and takes about 3h 59m via I 90 and I 94, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within the Midwest, traversing Wisconsin for its entirety. Given its relatively short duration, it's a straightforward drive that can easily be completed in one day. You'll spend most of your time on major interstate highways, making for a predictable and efficient transit between these two Wisconsin locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
107.3 miles from Franklin, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
104 mi
1h 51m
East-West Freeway
63.8 mi
1h 9m
I 94
29.1 mi
31m
US 53
5 mi
5m
South Lovers Lane Road
4.4 mi
8m
Zoo Freeway
3.7 mi
5m
US 45
1 mi
2m
Holmen Drive
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 104 mi, about 1h 51m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 140 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,390 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,998
Quietest
2 AM
~169 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Franklin, WI and Holmen, WI.
1
Start on this road
141 ft·11 sec·this road
2
Turn right
89 ft·8 sec
3
At end of road, turn right onto US 45
384 ft·16 sec·US 45
4
Turn left onto US 45; WI 100
0.1 mi·14 sec·West Saint Martins Road
5
Continue on US 45; WI 100
4.4 mi·8 min·South Lovers Lane Road
6
Take the ramp onto US 45
0.4 mi·52 sec·US 45
Toward I 43 North, US 45 North
7
Merge onto I 43; US 45
0.2 mi·19 sec·Rock Freeway
8
Take the exit onto US 45
0.6 mi·55 sec·US 45
Exit 61Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
9
Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45
3.7 mi·5 min·Zoo Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·16 sec
Exit 1B-AToward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, MilwaukeeUse the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·56 sec
Exit 1BToward I 94 West: MadisonUse the slight left lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·11 sec
Toward I 94 West: Madison
13
Merge onto I 94
10 mi·11 min·East-West Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
54 mi·57 min·East-West Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94
29 mi·31 min·I 94
Exit 240Toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau ClaireUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
63 mi·1 hr 8 min·I 90; I 94
Use the straight lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
40 mi·43 min·I 90
Exit 45Toward I 90 West: Tomah, La Crosse
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward US 53 North, WI 157: La Crosse, Onalaska
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·18 sec
20
Merge onto US 53; WI 157
5.0 mi·5 min·US 53; WI 157
21
Take the exit
0.4 mi·55 sec
Toward WI 35 South, CTH HD
22
Turn straight onto CTH HD; WI 35 BUS
0.7 mi·1 min·Holmen Drive
23
Turn right onto CTH DH
0.1 mi·14 sec·West Gaarder Road
24
Enter roundabout onto CTH DH
238 ft·4 sec·County Highway DH
25
Continue on CTH DH
112 ft·2 sec·County Highway DH
26
Turn straight onto CTH DH
0.5 mi·52 sec·South Main Street
27
Turn right onto CTH D
70 ft·1 sec·County Highway D
28
Arrive at destination
CTH D
Trip Plan
For this 3h 59m drive, leaving in the morning after breakfast is ideal, allowing ample daylight to reach Holmen, WI. Since it's a single-day trip, you have flexibility with stops. Plan for one stop to stretch your legs or grab a snack, which is factored into the total duration. Given the estimated fuel cost of $34, ensure your tank is full before departing Franklin, WI, as the longest stretch without exits on I 90 is over 100 miles.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 107.3 miles from Franklin, WI, or about 2h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 104 miles.
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 47 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 107.3 miles or 2h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Holmen, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Franklin, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Franklin, WI
This is one driving day of about 214.6 miles and 3h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Franklin, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 104 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 22
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.3 and 166.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5.3 mi into trip|~10m in|US 45
Take the exit onto US 45 toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 61
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fon...
8
9.6 mi into trip|~16m in
Take the exit toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1B-A
Toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Madison, Milwaukee
8
9.8 mi into trip|~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Madison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 1B
Toward I 94 West: Madison
9
74.3 mi into trip|~1h 27m in|I 94
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau Claire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 240
Toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wiscon...
7
166.9 mi into trip|~3h 6m in|I 90
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 toward I 90 West: Tomah, La Crosse
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 45
Toward I 90 West: Tomah, La Crosse
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.27 one way
$66.54 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg75 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$36.48
$72.96
premium
$4.93
$41.64
$83.27
diesel
$5.60
$47.30
$94.61
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64.4
0
$22.53
$10.30
Efficient EV
53.7
0
$18.78
$8.58
EV Truck/SUV
85.8
1
$30.04
$13.73
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Aug 24, 2026
Origin
Franklin, WI
Late night
in Franklin on Wednesday
Local time
12:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Mostly Clear then Patchy Fog
NW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Holmen, WI
Late night
in Holmen on Wednesday
Local time
12:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Partly Cloudy
E 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 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
3h 59m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 96% of the 214.6 miles on interstates. You'll experience a longest stretch of 104 miles on I 90 before needing to exit. The transition from highway to surface roads, if any, would occur very late in the trip. Expect a consistent cruising experience with frequent exits for services along the main interstate corridors.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 104 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and East-West Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.3 miles in near US 45.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 214.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.3 miles (US 45): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,073 ft718 ft
Total Climb
497 ft
Total Descent
584 ft
Highest Point
1,073 ft
~92 mi in
Elevation Range
355 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Franklin, WI and Holmen, WI, road signs point toward Eau Claire and La Crosse.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 59m. Total distance: 214.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 104 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Holmen, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 5.3 miles (US 45): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Holmen, WI, but most travelers stay overnight.
