Origin
Plymouth, MN
Late night in Plymouth on Tuesday
Local time
4:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plymouth, MN to Faribault, 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
1h 10m
Distance
58.3 mi
94 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 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Faribault, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Plymouth, MN to Faribault, MN is 58.3 miles and takes about 1h 10m via I 35W, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest and Minnesota, so you won't encounter dramatic landscape shifts, but it's a straightforward journey for a quick trip or to connect to further destinations. Expect a mostly highway experience, making it efficient for getting from point A to point B without much fuss. It's a short enough distance that you can easily plan it as a single-day adventure, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35W | 37.7 mi | 41m |
| I 494 | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| Lyndale Avenue North | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| 4th Street Northwest | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Highway 60 West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| MN 55 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| I 35 Business | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Shieldsville Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35W
— 37.7 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MN and Faribault, 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
16 mi
·
20 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Use the slight right lane.
5
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
this road
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
6
Merge onto I 35W
38 mi
·
41 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
296 ft
·
3 sec
Toward MN 21
8
Continue on I 35 Business
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
I 35 Business
Toward MN 21, I 35 Business
9
Continue on MN 21; I 35 Business; I 35 Alternate
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Shieldsville Boulevard
10
Continue on I 35 Business; MN 21; I 35 Alternate
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Lyndale Avenue North
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left onto MN 60
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Highway 60 West
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on MN 60
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Street Northwest
13
Turn left
69 ft
·
5 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Plymouth, 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 0.2 and 54.9 — 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.
7
16.7 mi into trip
|
~21m 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
5
17.3 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 35W
Merge onto I 35W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
54.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward MN 21
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward MN 21
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.68 one way
$17.35 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $9.35 | $18.70 |
| premium | $4.53 | $10.40 | $20.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.87 | $25.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.12 | $2.80 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.3 | 0 | $8.16 | $3.73 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Faribault, MN
Late night in Faribault on Tuesday
Local time
4:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°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 10m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 94% of the route utilizing major interstates like I 35W and I 494. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch at 37.7 miles on I 35W, offering a consistent, albeit familiar, driving experience. The initial part of the journey might involve navigating some urban or suburban areas before settling into a more open highway feel. The road profile is predominantly high-speed, so be prepared for a steady pace for most of the 1 hour and 10 minutes.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 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?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and I 494. You will hit about 8 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 58.3 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: 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 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 1h 10m. Total distance: 58.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). 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: 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 16.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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