Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
28.8 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Minneapolis, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Empire, MN
Tom Fisk
The drive from Minneapolis, MN to Empire, MN covers 28.8 miles and takes about 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 55, US 52, Hiawatha Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.9 miles on MN 55. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.56 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 55 | 11.9 mi | 15m |
| US 52 | 7.7 mi | 8m |
| Hiawatha Avenue | 5.2 mi | 9m |
| Crosstown Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 200th Street East | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South 8th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Minnehaha Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Minneapolis, MN and Empire, MN.
Start on CR 152
Continue on CR 152
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on this road
Merge onto South 8th Street
Continue on MN 55
Continue on MN 55
Take the exit onto MN 55
Merge onto MN 55; MN 62
Take the exit onto MN 55
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 55
Keep slight right at fork onto US 52
Take the exit
Turn right onto CR 66
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 28.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork toward MN 55 East: Hiawatha Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto MN 55 toward MN 55, MN 13 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 55 toward MN 13 North: Mendota Historic Sites
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 52 toward Rochester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 66 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$4.56 one way
$9.12 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $4.86 | $9.71 |
| premium | $4.85 | $5.50 | $10.99 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $6.35 | $12.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Minneapolis on Friday
Local time
11:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Night in Empire on Friday
Local time
11:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Partly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
28.8 mi in 41m, mostly highway — 11.9 mi of that is on MN 55.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 55 and US 52. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 28.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (MN 55): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.9 miles (MN 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
264 ft
Total Descent
237 ft
Highest Point
927 ft
~20.6 mi in
Elevation Range
175 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Minneapolis, MN to Empire, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Rochester along the way.
Rochester
Founded 1850
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 28.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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