If you are planning a trip from Pine City to Bloomington, prepare for a 78.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 13 minutes. This route is designed as a single-day trip, making it an efficient choice for those who prefer to keep their travel time under two hours. You should budget approximately $11 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Midwest locations. Because the drive is straightforward and relatively short, there is no need to split this into an overnight excursion. It serves as a practical, direct connection for travelers moving south through Minnesota.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39 miles from Pine City, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
41.9 mi
44m
I 35W
34.3 mi
41m
Hillside Avenue Southwest
0.7 mi
1m
Main Street South
0.5 mi
<1m
3rd Avenue Southeast
<0.1 mi
<1m
Railroad Street Southeast
<0.1 mi
<1m
West 90th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 41.9 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pine City, MN and Bloomington, MN.
1
Start on Railroad Street Southeast
212 ft·14 sec·Railroad Street Southeast
2
Turn left onto CR 8
414 ft·18 sec·3rd Avenue Southeast
3
Turn left onto I 35 BUS; CR 61
0.5 mi·58 sec·Main Street South
4
Turn right onto I 35 BUS; CR 7
0.7 mi·1 min·Hillside Avenue Southwest
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
6
Merge onto I 35
42 mi·44 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W
34 mi·41 min·I 35W
Toward I 35W: MinneapolisUse the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·34 sec
Exit 7BToward 90th StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto West 90th Street
207 ft·5 sec·West 90th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Arrive at destination
West 90th Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a compact 1-hour and 13-minute drive, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. You can easily complete the entire 78.1-mile stretch without needing scheduled stops, though you should ensure your tank is ready for the $11 fuel expenditure before you pull out of Pine City. Because the route relies entirely on local roads, keep an eye on navigation instructions to stay on track through the various turns on 3rd Avenue Southeast and Main Street South. Given the lack of highway stretches, plan for a steady pace rather than rushing through the turn-heavy sections. Your best bet is to avoid peak local traffic hours to ensure the drive remains as efficient as possible.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39 miles from Pine City, MN, or about 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 17 miles or 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39 miles or 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bloomington, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pine City, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Pine City, MN
This is one driving day of about 78 miles and 1h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Pine City, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 41.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 77.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast
Turn left onto CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast
Navigation decision point
6
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
7
43.5 mi into trip|~48m in|I 35W
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Minneapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 35W: Minneapolis
7
77.7 mi into trip|~1h 30m 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
77.9 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|West 90th Street
Turn left onto West 90th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.61 one way
$23.22 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$12.51
$25.02
premium
$4.53
$13.92
$27.83
diesel
$5.61
$17.22
$34.44
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.4
0
$8.19
$3.74
Efficient EV
19.5
0
$6.82
$3.12
EV Truck/SUV
31.2
0
$10.92
$4.99
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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 Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Pine City, MN
Night
in Pine City on Saturday
Local time
11:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bloomington, MN
Night
in Bloomington on Saturday
Local time
11:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
18 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 30m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this path. With a highway share of 0%, you will spend your time navigating local corridors like 3rd Avenue Southeast, Main Street South, and Hillside Avenue Southwest. This configuration means you should stay alert, as the road requires more active steering than a high-speed highway stretch. The character of the drive remains consistent throughout the 78.1 miles, focusing on local navigation rather than open-road acceleration. You will find that this route prioritizes local connectivity over the ease of major multi-lane thoroughfares.
98% 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: 41.9 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 35W. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 30m drive. You will face about 8 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 (CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.5 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Pine City is a city in east central Minnesota with the tagline "North. Nice and close." The Pine City zip code (55063), which is a more accurate reflection of the size of the town, has a population of approximately 10,000 people and even more native pine trees. It's an easy day trip from the Twin Cities to Pine City, the largest city in, and county seat of Pine County.
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.
The longest stretch is about 41.9 miles on I 35. 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 (CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.5 miles (I 35W): 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 Bloomington, MN before heading back.
