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Trip from Minnetonka, MN to Faribault, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 7m

Distance

54.9 mi

88 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States

Minnetonka, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Faribault, MN, MN

Faribault, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Minnetonka, MN to Faribault, MN covers 54.9 miles and takes about 1h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35W, I 494, Minnesota State Highway 7 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.7 miles on I 35W. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.96 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35W 37.7 mi 41m
I 494 10.1 mi 12m
Minnesota State Highway 7 2.5 mi 3m
Lyndale Avenue North 1.9 mi 3m
4th Street Northwest 0.7 mi 1m
County Road 101 0.4 mi <1m
Highway 60 West 0.3 mi <1m
I 35 Business 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 35W — 37.7 mi, about 41m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~4,306 veh/hr typical · worst 5,021

Quietest

2 AM

~244 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

17.6×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 82 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 Minnetonka, MN and Faribault, MN.

1

Start on CR 101

0.2 mi · 25 sec · County Road 101
2

Continue on CR 101

0.2 mi · 33 sec · County Road 101
Use the left lane.
3

Turn right onto MN 7

2.1 mi · 2 min · Minnesota State Highway 7
4

Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7

0.4 mi · 32 sec · Minnesota State Highway 7
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 494 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto I 494

10 mi · 12 min · I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Exit 5B Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea Use the slight right lane.
8

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 50 sec · this road
Exit 5B Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
9

Merge onto I 35W

38 mi · 41 min · I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

296 ft · 3 sec
Toward MN 21
11

Continue on I 35 Business

0.2 mi · 19 sec · I 35 Business
Toward MN 21, I 35 Business
12

Continue on MN 21; I 35 Business; I 35 Alternate

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Shieldsville Boulevard
13

Continue on I 35 Business; MN 21; I 35 Alternate

1.9 mi · 3 min · Lyndale Avenue North
Use the straight lane.
14

Turn left onto MN 60

0.3 mi · 51 sec · Highway 60 West
Use the left lane.
15

Continue on MN 60

0.7 mi · 1 min · 4th Street Northwest
16

Turn left

69 ft · 5 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Apple Valley, MN

27 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Bloomington, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Apple Valley, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.5 miles from Minnetonka, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 13.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | CR 101 / County Road 101

Continue onto CR 101 / County Road 101

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
2.4 mi into trip | ~3m in | MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7

Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
2.8 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 494 South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 494 South
5
3.3 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 494

Merge onto I 494

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
13.3 mi into trip | ~18m in

Take the exit toward I 35W South: Albert Lea

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 5B Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.96 one way

$17.92 round trip

$4.15/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.46 $9.64 $19.29
premium $4.95 $10.71 $21.41
diesel $5.97 $12.90 $25.79

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.5 0 $5.76 $2.64
Efficient EV 13.7 0 $4.80 $2.20
EV Truck/SUV 22 0 $7.69 $3.51

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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 29, 2026

Origin

Minnetonka, MN

Night in Minnetonka on Friday

Local time

10:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

82°F

Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy

S 5 to 10 mph 96% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued August 29 at 6:03AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued August 29 at 5:50AM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

Destination

Faribault, MN

Night in Faribault on Friday

Local time

10:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 mph 60% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued August 29 at 6:03AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued August 29 at 5:50AM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

51°F

Apple Valley, MN

27 mi in

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

17 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

1h 7m 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?

54.9 mi in 1h 7m, mostly highway — 37.7 mi of that is on I 35W.

92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.7 mi on I 35W.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CR 101 / County Road 101.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.9 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (CR 101 / County Road 101): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,122 ft 788 ft

Total Climb

405 ft

Total Descent

313 ft

Highest Point

1,122 ft

~35.3 mi in

Elevation Range

334 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Minnetonka, MN

Full guide →

Founded 1852

Top landmarks

  • • Charles H. Burwell House — historic house in Minnesota, United States

Arriving in Faribault, MN

Full guide →

Founded 1855

Faribault (pronounced FAYR-boh) is a city in Southern Minnesota. It is the county seat of Rice County and located at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight rivers.

Top landmarks

  • • Shattuck-Saint Mary's School — private secondary school in Faribault, Minnesota
  • • Alexander Faribault House — Historic house in Faribault, Minnesota, United States
  • • Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour — historic church in Minnesota, United States

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 1h 7m. Total distance: 54.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 37.7 miles on I 35W. 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 Faribault, 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 0.2 miles (CR 101 / County Road 101): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Faribault, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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