Origin
Pine City, MN
Late night in Pine City on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pine City, MN to Minneapolis, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
67.9 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pine City, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Pine City to Minneapolis, you are in for a straightforward 67.9-mile journey across the heart of Minnesota. Expect to spend approximately 1 hour and 4 minutes on the road, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via local streets like 3rd Avenue Southeast, Main Street South, and Hillside Avenue Southwest rather than major interstates. With a fuel budget of around $10, it is an economical way to move between these two Midwest locations. Because there are no scheduled stops, you have the flexibility to complete the drive in one efficient push.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 41.9 mi | 44m |
| I 35W | 23.4 mi | 27m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 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 |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 41.9 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pine City, MN and Minneapolis, 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
23 mi
·
27 min
·
I 35W
Toward I 35W: Minneapolis
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 17C
Toward Washington Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto CR 152
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Avenue South
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
10
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.9 miles from Pine City, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 67.1 — 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
66.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward Washington Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17C
Toward Washington Avenue
6
67.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
CR 152 / Washington Avenue South
Turn right onto CR 152 / Washington Avenue South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.10 one way
$20.21 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $10.89 | $21.78 |
| premium | $4.53 | $12.12 | $24.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.99 | $29.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.13 | $3.26 |
| Efficient EV | 17 | 0 | $5.94 | $2.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.2 | 0 | $9.51 | $4.35 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Minneapolis, MN
Late night in Minneapolis on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
1 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
1h 18m 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 67.9-mile route offers a turn-heavy local driving experience that differs significantly from a standard interstate cruise. Since the highway share is 0%, you should prepare for a more involved driving experience focused on local navigation. There are no long, monotonous stretches here; in fact, the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on 3rd Avenue Southeast. You will find that the road remains technical as you transition through various local thoroughfares. Staying alert is essential, as the constant turns demand your full attention compared to a high-speed highway commute.
96% 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?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 35W. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 67.9 miles you will encounter 8 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: 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.
About the Cities
Starting in Pine City, MN
Full guide →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.
Arriving 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 1h 18m. Total distance: 67.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 Minneapolis, 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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