Origin
Minneapolis, MN
Late night in Minneapolis on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minneapolis, MN to Bloomington, 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
16m
Distance
10.7 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between Minneapolis and Bloomington, this 10.7-mile connection is as straightforward as it gets. Expect a short 16-minute transit time, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops or extensive planning. You will primarily navigate via I-35W, 3rd Avenue South, and MN-65 as you move through the heart of the Midwest. Budgeting just $2 for fuel makes this an incredibly economical commute. Because the distance is so brief, you have total flexibility to head out whenever your schedule permits. It is a no-fuss route that gets you from point A to point B with maximum efficiency.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35W | 9 mi | 11m |
| 3rd Avenue South | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| MN 65 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South 10th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 90th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Washington Avenue South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35W
— 9 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minneapolis, MN and Bloomington, MN.
1
Start on CR 152
63 ft
·
9 sec
·
Washington Avenue South
2
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue South
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
3rd Avenue South
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto South 10th Street
406 ft
·
16 sec
·
South 10th Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I-35W South
5
Continue on MN 65
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
MN 65
6
Merge onto I 35W
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 7B
Toward 90th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto West 90th Street
207 ft
·
5 sec
·
West 90th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Arrive at destination
West 90th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
3rd Avenue South
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I-35W South
Navigation decision point
Toward I-35W South
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 35W
Merge onto I 35W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
10.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward 90th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 7B
Toward 90th Street
7
10.7 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
West 90th Street
Turn left onto West 90th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.59 one way
$3.18 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $1.72 | $3.43 |
| premium | $4.53 | $1.91 | $3.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.36 | $4.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
| Efficient EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.94 | $0.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Bloomington, MN
Late night in Bloomington on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
NW 5 mph
20% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 14 at 11:10AM CDT until April 20 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 14 at 11:10AM CDT until April 21 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
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
10 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
16m 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?
This highway-focused drive is dominated by high-speed transit, with 88% of your journey taking place on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time on I-35W, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 9 miles. While the experience is functional rather than scenic, the transition from urban Minneapolis streets to the highway is seamless. You can expect a consistent, predictable flow once you merge onto the interstate. It is a utilitarian drive designed for speed, allowing you to cover the short mileage with minimal effort behind the wheel.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on I 35W.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and 3rd Avenue South. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 3rd Avenue South.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 16m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (3rd Avenue South): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (I 35W): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Arriving in Bloomington, MN
Full guide →Founded 1843
Bloomington, Minnesota is a suburb of Minneapolis. It is near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP IATA) and home to the Mall of America, the United States' largest shopping mall. Bloomington has a population of 89,000 people (as of 2021). Bloomington was established as a post–World War II housing boom suburb connected to Minneapolis's urban street grid, and is served by two major freeways: Interstate 35W and Interstate 494.
Top landmarks
- • Nickelodeon Universe — amusement park inside Mall of America
- • SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge — amusement ride
- • SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium
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 16m. Total distance: 10.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9 miles on I 35W. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (3rd Avenue South): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (I 35W): 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 Bloomington, 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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