Origin
Saint Francis, MN
Late night in Saint Francis on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Francis, MN to Minneapolis, 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
50m
Distance
34.6 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Francis, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Saint Francis to Minneapolis, you are looking at a manageable 34.6-mile journey that typically takes about 50 minutes. This route is an ideal candidate for a quick day trip, as it does not require an overnight stay. You will navigate using a combination of 7th Avenue Northwest, US 10, and I-94 to reach the city center. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $5, this is a budget-friendly commute or weekend excursion. Because both locations are situated within the Midwest, the drive offers a familiar regional transition from the smaller community of Saint Francis to the urban landscape of Minneapolis.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 10 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| 7th Avenue Northwest | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| I 94 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Rum River Boulevard Northwest | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| MN 252 | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Rum River Boulevard | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Roanoke Street Northwest | 2 mi | 2m |
| MN-610 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 10
— 5.6 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Francis, MN and Minneapolis, MN.
1
Start on CR 24
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bridge Street Northwest
2
Turn left onto CR 24
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Ambassador Boulevard Northwest
3
Continue on CR 24
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Rum River Boulevard Northwest
4
Enter roundabout onto CR 7
122 ft
·
2 sec
·
Rum River Boulevard
5
Continue on CR 7
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Rum River Boulevard
6
Continue on CR 7
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Roanoke Street Northwest
7
Continue on CR 7
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
165th Avenue Northwest
8
Continue on CR 7
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
7th Avenue Northwest
9
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 10 East, MN 47 South
Use the left lane.
10
Merge onto US 10; MN 47
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
US 10; MN 47
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 47
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
MN 47
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward MN 610: Minneapolis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto MN 610
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
MN-610
14
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 9
Toward MN 252 South: Minneapolis
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on MN 252
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
MN 252
Use the left lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 94 East: Minneapolis
17
Merge onto I 94
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward 4th Street North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward 2nd Avenue North
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
21
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
2nd Avenue North
22
Turn right onto CR 152
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Washington Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Continue on CR 152
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Washington Avenue South
Use the left lane.
24
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.3 miles from Saint Francis, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 13.7 and 33.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
13.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Turn left toward US 10 East, MN 47 South
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 10 East, MN 47 South
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
MN 47
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 47
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
22.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward MN 252 South: Minneapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9
Toward MN 252 South: Minneapolis
7
32.4 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward 4th Street North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward 4th Street North
7
33.4 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 2nd Avenue North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward 2nd Avenue North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.15 one way
$10.30 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $5.55 | $11.10 |
| premium | $4.53 | $6.17 | $12.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.64 | $15.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.03 | $1.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Minneapolis, MN
Late night in Minneapolis on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°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
2 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
50m 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 34.6-mile trip offers a mixed driving experience, balancing local roads with major interstate travel. Approximately 47% of your time will be spent on highways, providing a nice contrast to the slower-paced local stretches. You will encounter your longest uninterrupted segment on US 10, which spans 5.6 miles. As you transition from the local streets of Saint Francis onto the busier lanes of I-94, the character of the road shifts from neighborhood driving to a more standard highway flow. Expect a functional drive that trades scenic variety for direct, efficient transit between the two points.
47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.6 mi on US 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 13.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 34.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.5 miles (MN 47): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
918 ft
813 ft
Total Climb
81 ft
Total Descent
170 ft
Highest Point
918 ft
Elevation Range
105 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 Saint Francis, MN to Minneapolis, MN, road signs begin pointing toward 4Th Street North along the way.
4Th Street North
32.4 mi in
|
~44m
About the Cities
Arriving in Minneapolis, MN
Full guide →Minneapolis is a city of about 430,000 people (2019) and the largest city in Minnesota. Along with neighboring Saint Paul, it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolitan area in the Midwest after Chicago and Detroit.
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 50m. Total distance: 34.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.6 miles on US 10. 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 Minneapolis, 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 13.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.5 miles (MN 47): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.8 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 Minneapolis, 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Minneapolis, MN
More from Saint Francis, MN
More trips to Minneapolis, MN
Explore more options from Saint Francis, MN or browse trips ending in Minneapolis, MN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.