Origin
Minneapolis, MN
Morning in Minneapolis on Tuesday
Local time
7:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minneapolis, MN to Delano, 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
38m
Distance
28.4 mi
46 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Delano, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Minneapolis, MN to Delano, MN is 28.4 miles and takes about 38m via US 12 and I 394, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest region, specifically Minnesota, offering a straightforward trip. It's a short hop, perfect for a quick getaway or an easy commute. Given its brevity, you won't need to worry about overnight stays or extensive planning, making it a very accessible option.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 12 | 12.3 mi | 15m |
| I 394 | 9.4 mi | 12m |
| Babcock Boulevard | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Bridge Avenue West | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 1st Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 3rd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Bridge Avenue East | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
US 12
— 12.3 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minneapolis, MN and Delano, 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
Turn straight onto I 394
9.4 mi
·
12 min
·
I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 12
12 mi
·
15 min
·
US 12
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Enter roundabout onto US 12
135 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
7
Continue on US 12
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
9
Turn right onto Bridge Avenue West
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Bridge Avenue West
10
Arrive at destination
Bridge Avenue East
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 24.2 — 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.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North 3rd Street
Turn right onto North 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 12
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
22.2 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
US 12 / Babcock Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto US 12 / Babcock Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
24.2 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
US 12 / Babcock Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12 / Babcock Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.23 one way
$8.45 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.55 | $9.11 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.07 | $10.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.27 | $12.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Delano, MN
Morning in Delano on Tuesday
Local time
7:14 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
38m 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?
This route is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 76% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on highways like I 394 and US 12. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.3 miles on US 12, allowing for a consistent pace. Expect a relatively smooth ride with minimal interruptions, making it easy to maintain speed and cover ground efficiently.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.3 mi on US 12.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 12 and I 394. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near North 1st Avenue.
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 28.4 miles you will encounter 7 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 0.4 miles (North 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.9 miles (US 12): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
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 38m. Total distance: 28.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.3 miles on US 12. 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 Delano, 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 0.5 miles (North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.9 miles (US 12): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Delano, 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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