Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 11, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
65.7 mi
106 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Co on Rapids, MN
Tom Fisk
Faribault, MN
Tom Fisk
The drive from West Co on Rapids, MN to Faribault, MN covers 65.7 miles and takes about 1h 22m 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 94, MN 252 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 45.6 miles on I 35W. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.72 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35W | 45.6 mi | 51m |
| I 94 | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| MN 252 | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Noble Parkway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Lyndale Avenue North | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| West River Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 4th Street Northwest | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| MN-610 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,040 veh/hr typical · worst 4,740
Quietest
2 AM
~239 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 82 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between West Co on Rapids, MN and Faribault, MN.
Start on CR 12
Continue on CR 12
Turn left
Merge onto MN 610
Take the exit
Continue on MN 252
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
Take the exit
Merge onto MN 65
Merge onto I 35W
Take the exit
Continue on I 35 Business
Continue on MN 21; I 35 Business; I 35 Alternate
Continue on I 35 Business; MN 21; I 35 Alternate
Turn left onto MN 60
Continue on MN 60
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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.
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 32.9 miles from West Co on Rapids, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 16.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left toward MN 610 East
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MN 252 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 East: Minneapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 35W South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$10.72 one way
$21.45 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $11.54 | $23.08 |
| premium | $4.95 | $12.81 | $25.62 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $15.43 | $30.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.90 | $3.15 |
| Efficient EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.75 | $2.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.3 | 0 | $9.20 | $4.20 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in West Co on Rapids on Thursday
Local time
9:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Clear
Destination
Night in Faribault on Thursday
Local time
9:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Patchy Fog
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
65.7 mi in 1h 22m, mostly highway — 45.6 mi of that is on I 35W.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.7 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: at 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
279 ft
Total Descent
139 ft
Highest Point
1,067 ft
~47 mi in
Elevation Range
252 ft
Founded 1855
Faribault (pronounced FAYR-boh) is a city in Southern Minnesota. It is the county seat of Rice County and located at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight rivers.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 65.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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