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Trip from Plymouth, MN to North Branch, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 3m

Distance

54.8 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

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 58m ★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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city in Devon, England

Plymouth, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown North Branch, MN, MN

North Branch, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Plymouth, MN to North Branch, MN covers 54.8 miles and takes about 1h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35W, I 35, I 694 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.8 miles on I 35W. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.68 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35W 19.8 mi 21m
I 35 15.5 mi 16m
I 694 6.5 mi 7m
I 94 6.3 mi 7m
I 494 5 mi 6m
Main Street 0.4 mi <1m
MN 55 <0.1 mi <1m
Forest Boulevard <0.1 mi —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: I 35W — 19.8 mi, about 21m

Traffic on I-94

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~3,788 veh/hr typical

Quietest

2 AM

~198 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

19.1×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 78 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 North Branch, MN.

1

Start on MN 55

62 ft · 3 sec · MN 55
2

Take the exit

186 ft · 4 sec
Toward I 494 North
3

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward I 494 North
4

Merge onto I 494

5.0 mi · 6 min · I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 35 sec
Toward I 94 East, I 694 East Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto I 94; I 694

6.3 mi · 7 min · I 94; I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 694

6.5 mi · 7 min · I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Exit 41B Toward I 35W North Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 35W

3.0 mi · 3 min · I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

17 mi · 18 min · I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

15 mi · 16 min · I 35
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward MN 95: Cambridge, North Branch
13

Turn right

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Use the right lane.
14

Continue on MN 95

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Main Street
15

Turn right onto CR 30

36 ft · 0 sec · Forest Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Arrive at destination

CR 30

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Shoreview, MN, MN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Shoreview, MN

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

Brooklyn Park, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Centerville, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.4 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 21.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the exit toward I 494 North

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward I 494 North
8
5.3 mi into trip | ~7m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 East, I 694 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 94 East, I 694 East
6
12.1 mi into trip | ~15m in | I 694

Keep slight left at fork onto I 694

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
18.6 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward I 35W North

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Exit 41B Toward I 35W North
6
21.8 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 35W

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.68 one way

$17.35 round trip

$4.02/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.28 $9.24 $18.48
premium $4.85 $10.46 $20.92
diesel $5.60 $12.08 $24.16

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, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.4 0 $5.75 $2.63
Efficient EV 13.7 0 $4.80 $2.19
EV Truck/SUV 21.9 0 $7.67 $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.

Forecast as of Sep 2, 2026

Origin

Plymouth, MN

Morning in Plymouth on Friday

Local time

6:24 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

NNE 0 to 5 mph 55% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 1 at 8:17PM CDT until September 1 at 11:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

Destination

North Branch, MN

Morning in North Branch on Friday

Local time

6:24 AM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers

0 mph 46% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 1 at 8:17PM CDT until September 1 at 11:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

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

3 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 3m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

54.8 mi in 1h 3m, mostly highway — 19.8 mi of that is on I 35W.

97% 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: 19.8 mi on I 35W.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and I 35. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.8 miles you will encounter 13 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: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.1 miles (I 694): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

978 ft 855 ft

Total Climb

127 ft

Total Descent

211 ft

Highest Point

978 ft

Elevation Range

124 ft

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 North Branch, MN

Full guide →

Chisago County is a county in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. Its principal settlements are: Taylors Falls, which abuts the St. Croix River which separates Minnesota and Wisconsin. North Branch Chisago City, a northern suburb of the Twin Cities in the Chisago Lakes area, comprising Lindstrom and Center City.

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 3m. Total distance: 54.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 19.8 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 North Branch, 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: near the start: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.1 miles (I 694): 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 North Branch, 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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