Origin
Plymouth, MN
Night in Plymouth on Friday
Local time
9:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plymouth, MN to Lonsdale, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed May 16, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
41 mi
66 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Lonsdale, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Plymouth, MN to Lonsdale, MN is 41 miles and takes about 57m via I 494 and US 169, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, moving from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area southward. You'll experience a mix of interstate cruising and surface roads as you make your way out of the urban fringe. Given the short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a quick day trip or an easy commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 11.4 mi | 14m |
| Panama Avenue | 11.3 mi | 15m |
| US 169 | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| State Highway 19 | 4 mi | 5m |
| Eagle Creek Avenue | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Herrgott Memorial Drive | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Central Street West | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Duluth Avenue Southeast | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 11.4 mi, about 14m
Traffic on I-494
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,210 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~75 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
42.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 31 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MN and Lonsdale, 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
11 mi
·
14 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 10A
Toward US 169 South
Use the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto US 169
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
US 169
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 115
Toward CR 21
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on CR 21
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Herrgott Memorial Drive
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on CR 21
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Eagle Creek Avenue
9
Turn right onto Duluth Avenue Southeast
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Duluth Avenue Southeast
10
Turn right onto MN 13
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
11
Continue on MN 13
491 ft
·
14 sec
·
Langford Boulevard/Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
12
Turn left onto CR 23
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Panama Avenue
13
Enter roundabout onto MN 19
104 ft
·
5 sec
·
State Highway 19
14
Continue on MN 19
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 19
15
Continue on MN 19
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Street West
16
Turn right onto CR 33
120 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
CR 33
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.5 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 17.7 — 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
11.9 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward US 169 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10A
Toward US 169 South
5
12.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 169
Merge onto US 169
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
17.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward CR 21
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 115
Toward CR 21
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.90 one way
$13.79 round trip
$4.27/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $7.43 | $14.86 |
| premium | $5.04 | $8.13 | $16.26 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $9.10 | $18.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.59 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Lonsdale, MN
Night in Lonsdale on Friday
Local time
9:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
57m 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?
About half of this 41-mile drive is on the highway, specifically I 494. The longest stretch on the interstate is 11.4 miles. After leaving I 494, you'll transition to surface roads like Panama Avenue and US 169. Expect a change in pace and potentially more local traffic as you move from high-speed interstate travel to more community-focused roadways.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.4 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 41 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
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 11.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,094 ft
780 ft
Total Climb
351 ft
Total Descent
236 ft
Highest Point
1,094 ft
~41 mi in
Elevation Range
314 ft
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.
On the drive from Plymouth, MN to Lonsdale, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 21 along the way.
Cr 21
17.7 mi in
|
~22m
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.
Arriving in Lonsdale, MN
Full guide →Founded 1903
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 57m. Total distance: 41 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.4 miles on I 494. 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 Lonsdale, 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 11.9 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 Lonsdale, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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