Origin
Pleasant Prairie, WI
Late night in Pleasant Prairie on Sunday
Local time
3:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pleasant Prairie, WI to Germantown, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
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
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pleasant Prairie, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Germantown, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
This straightforward 54.9-mile drive from Pleasant Prairie to Germantown in Wisconsin is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking about 1 hour and 13 minutes to complete. The route is predominantly highway-focused, with 89% of the journey on major roads like I-41 and Airport Freeway. With an estimated fuel cost of $9, this is an economical option for a quick transition between two points in the Midwest. You won't need to worry about overnight stays, making it ideal for a spontaneous outing or a planned move. The drive offers a practical and efficient way to cover the distance, keeping you moving without significant detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 41 | 44.2 mi | 52m |
| Airport Freeway | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Pilgrim Road | 3 mi | 6m |
| 104th Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| 75th Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Fond du Lac Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Park Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 41
— 44.2 mi, about 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pleasant Prairie, WI and Germantown, WI.
1
Start on 104th Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
104th Avenue
2
Turn left onto WI 50
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
75th Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
4
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Toward I 41 North, I 94 West
5
Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41
26 mi
·
28 min
·
I 41; I 94; US 41
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 94; US 41
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
I 41; I 94; US 41
Exit 317
Toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Madison, Fond du Lac
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on I 41; US 41
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 41; US 41
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Airport Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 894; US 41
17 mi
·
22 min
·
I 41; I 894; US 41
Toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 51A
Toward Pilgrim Road North
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto Pilgrim Road
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Pilgrim Road
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto WI 145
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Fond du Lac Avenue
13
Turn left onto Main Street
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
Main Street
14
Turn right onto Park Avenue
128 ft
·
7 sec
·
Park Avenue
15
Turn right
70 ft
·
5 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Pleasant Prairie, WI, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 51.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
WI 50 / 75th Street
Turn left onto WI 50 / 75th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 41; I 94; US 41
Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
28.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 41; I 94; US 41
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 94; US 41 toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Madison, Fond du Lac
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 317
Toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Ma...
8
34.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
I 41; I 894; US 41
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 894; US 41 toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 41 North, US...
7
51.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward Pilgrim Road North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 51A
Toward Pilgrim Road North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.58 one way
$17.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.42 | $18.85 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.57 | $21.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.12 | $24.24 |
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, 2026-04-13.
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.
Destination
Germantown, WI
Late night in Germantown on Sunday
Local time
3:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°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 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 13m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 54.9-mile journey, with an 89% highway share. You'll spend the majority of your time on I-41 and Airport Freeway, which facilitates a consistent pace. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 44.2 miles on I-41, allowing for a solid period of steady driving. While the profile is primarily highway, the inclusion of Pilgrim Road suggests a brief transition to a more localized road as you approach your destination. This mix offers efficiency with a touch of local flavor towards the end.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.2 mi on I 41.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 41 and Airport Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near WI 50 / 75th Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
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 12 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 1 miles (WI 50 / 75th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.1 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Pleasant Prairie, WI and Germantown, WI, road signs point toward Fond Du Lac and Pilgrim Road North.
Fond Du Lac
28.1 mi in
|
~33m
|
via I 41; I 94; US 41
Pilgrim Road North
51.2 mi in
|
~1h 4m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 54.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44.2 miles on I 41. 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 Germantown, WI 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 1 miles (WI 50 / 75th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.1 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Germantown, WI 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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Return Trip
Germantown, WI to Pleasant Prairie, WIPlan the drive back the other way.
55.1 mi
1h 14m
Continue From Germantown, WI
Explore more options from Pleasant Prairie, WI or browse trips ending in Germantown, WI.
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