Origin
Minneapolis, MN
Late night in Minneapolis on Tuesday
Local time
5:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minneapolis, MN to Blaine, 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
23m
Distance
15.3 mi
25 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blaine, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 15.3-mile drive from Minneapolis to Blaine in Minnesota's Midwest region is easily manageable in about 23 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. With a fuel cost estimate of just $2, this route is very budget-friendly. The majority of your journey, 77% to be exact, will be on major highways, suggesting a focus on efficient travel rather than leisurely sightseeing. Given the short distance and quick duration, you won't need to consider overnight stays, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 65 Northeast | 6.3 mi | 8m |
| I 94 | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| I 694 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Central Avenue Northeast | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North 1st Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 3rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 65 Northeast
— 6.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minneapolis, MN and Blaine, MN.
1
Start on CR 152
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Avenue South
2
Turn left onto North 1st Avenue
426 ft
·
18 sec
·
North 1st Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto North 3rd Street
418 ft
·
16 sec
·
North 3rd Street
4
Take the ramp
1.8 mi
·
3 min
Toward I 94 West
5
Merge onto I 94
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
319 ft
·
7 sec
Exit 225
Toward MN 252, I 694 East
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 694 East
8
Merge onto I 694
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 38
Toward MN 65: Central Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on MN 65
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
Central Avenue Northeast
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on MN 65
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Highway 65 Northeast
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
MN 65
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 8.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North 1st Avenue
Turn left onto North 1st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 94
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
6.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward MN 252, I 694 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 225
Toward MN 252, I 694 East
5
6.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 694 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 694 East
7
8.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward MN 65: Central Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 38
Toward MN 65: Central Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.28 one way
$4.55 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.45 | $4.91 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.73 | $5.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.38 | $6.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.61 | $0.73 |
| Efficient EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.34 | $0.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.14 | $0.98 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Blaine, MN
Late night in Blaine on Tuesday
Local time
5:34 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
23m 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 highway-focused experience for this short hop. Seventy-seven percent of this drive utilizes major highways, meaning you'll be on fast-paced roads for most of the trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.3 miles on Highway 65 Northeast, providing a solid period of consistent travel. The route generally maintains a steady pace, designed for efficient transit between these two Minnesota locations.
77% 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: 6.3 mi on Highway 65 Northeast.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 65 Northeast and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near North 1st Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 15.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (North 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting 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 23m. Total distance: 15.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.3 miles on Highway 65 Northeast. 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 Blaine, 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 0.4 miles (North 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Blaine, 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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