Origin
Plymouth, MN
Morning in Plymouth on Tuesday
Local time
10:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plymouth, MN to Cologne, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
31.2 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Cologne, MN
Miguel Andres Parra
Trip Overview
Plymouth to Cologne is 31.2 miles and takes about 38m via US 212, I 494, and South Paul Street, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota, moving from the Midwest region to the same region. It's a straightforward drive that mostly sticks to major roads, making it an easy choice for a quick excursion or a commute. You'll find it's a practical route with minimal fuss, ideal if you're looking for efficiency over a leisurely exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 212 | 20.1 mi | 23m |
| I 494 | 9.8 mi | 12m |
| South Paul Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| MN 55 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Paul Avenue North | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Lake Street East | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 212
— 20.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MN and Cologne, MN.
1
Start on MN 55
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
MN 55
2
Turn sharp left
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 494 South
Use the left lane.
3
Merge onto I 494
9.8 mi
·
12 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 11C
Toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 212; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 212
19 mi
·
21 min
·
US 212
Use the slight left lane.
7
Turn right onto MN 284
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
South Paul Street
8
Continue on MN 284
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Paul Avenue North
9
Turn right onto CR 36
74 ft
·
2 sec
·
Lake Street East
10
Arrive at destination
CR 36
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 11.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn sharp left toward I 494 South
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 494 South
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 494
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 11C
Toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
5
10.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
US 212; MN 5
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
11.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
US 212
Keep slight left at fork onto US 212
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.64 one way
$9.29 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $5.00 | $10.01 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.57 | $11.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.89 | $13.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Cologne, MN
Morning in Cologne on Tuesday
Local time
10:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°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
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
38m 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 drive is primarily on highways, with 96% of the route on major roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 20.1 miles on US 212, which offers a consistent cruising experience. The transition to surface streets will occur later in the drive as you approach your destination. Expect a lot of exits and merges as you navigate the highway sections.
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: 20.1 mi on US 212.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 212 and I 494. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 31.2 miles you will encounter 7 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: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Plymouth, MN
Full guide →Founded 1852
Plymouth is a city located in the heart of Minnesota. This city is a place that has a good solid community and friendly people. Plymouth has a lot to offer both its residents and its travelers. They are known for having affordable housing, low crime rates and most importantly an active outdoor culture. Plymouth was also Money Magazine's best place to live in 2008. If Plymouth was ranked as the number one place to live, it must be a really great place to travel to as well.
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 38m. Total distance: 31.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m 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 20.1 miles on US 212. 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 Cologne, 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: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Cologne, 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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