The drive from Minneapolis, MN to Marion, MN covers 96.3 miles and takes about 2h 4m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 52, MN 55, County 14 Boulevard for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 65 miles on US 52.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
48.2 miles from Minneapolis, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 4m. Total distance: 96.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 4m highway drive covering 96.3 miles, with most of the trip on US 52 and MN 55. The longest continuous stretch is about 65 miles on US 52.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 52 is the longest continuous segment at about 65 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 52 and MN 55. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 96.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (MN 55): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.1 miles (MN 55): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
1.2 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MN 55 East: Hiawatha Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 17B
Toward MN 55 East: Hiawatha Avenue
5
7 mi into trip|~13m in|MN 55
Take the exit onto MN 55 toward MN 55 East, MN 62 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MN 55 East, MN 62 East
8
9.1 mi into trip|~17m in|MN 55
Take the exit onto MN 55 toward MN 55, MN 13 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 117
Toward MN 55, MN 13 South
7
9.9 mi into trip|~18m in|MN 55
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 55 toward MN 13 North: Mendota Historic Sites
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward MN 13 North: Mendota Historic Sites
7
20.7 mi into trip|~31m in|US 52
Keep slight right at fork onto US 52 toward Rochester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward Rochester
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Minneapolis, MN and Marion, MN, road signs point toward Rochester and Cr 24: Cannon Falls.
Rochester
20.7 mi in|~31m|via US 52
Cr 24: Cannon Falls
41.6 mi in|~55m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 52
65 mi
1h 15m
MN 55
11.9 mi
15m
County 14 Boulevard
5.8 mi
9m
Hiawatha Avenue
5.2 mi
9m
County 9 Boulevard
4.1 mi
5m
Crosstown Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Washington Avenue South
0.8 mi
2m
South 8th Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 52
— 65 mi, about 1h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minneapolis, MN and Marion, MN.
1
Start on CR 152
63 ft·9 sec·Washington Avenue South
2
Continue on CR 152
0.8 mi·2 min·Washington Avenue South
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward I 35W South
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·15 sec
Exit 17BToward MN 55 East: Hiawatha AvenueUse the slight left lane.
5
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·12 sec·this road
Exit 17
6
Merge onto South 8th Street
0.1 mi·13 sec·South 8th Street
7
Continue on MN 55
5.2 mi·9 min·Hiawatha Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on MN 55
0.1 mi·11 sec·Minnehaha Avenue
9
Take the exit onto MN 55
0.4 mi·45 sec·MN 55
Toward MN 55 East, MN 62 East
10
Merge onto MN 55; MN 62
1.8 mi·2 min·Crosstown Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto MN 55
0.8 mi·1 min·MN 55
Exit 117Toward MN 55, MN 13 SouthUse the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 55
11 mi·13 min·MN 55
Toward MN 13 North: Mendota Historic SitesUse the left lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 52
21 mi·24 min·US 52
Toward RochesterUse the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Exit 96Toward CR 24: Cannon Falls
15
Enter roundabout onto CR 24
26 ft·0 sec·County 24 Boulevard
16
Continue on CR 24
0.1 mi·19 sec·County 24 Boulevard
17
Enter roundabout onto CR 14
221 ft·6 sec·County 14 Boulevard
18
Continue on CR 14
5.8 mi·9 min·County 14 Boulevard
19
Turn left onto CR 9
4.1 mi·5 min·County 9 Boulevard
20
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·42 sec
Toward US 52 South
21
Merge onto US 52
17 mi·19 min·US 52
Use the straight lane.
22
Continue on US 52
27 mi·32 min·US 52
Use the straight lane.
23
Turn left onto 54th Street Southeast
0.1 mi·31 sec·54th Street Southeast
24
Turn left onto 65th Avenue Southeast
58 ft·4 sec·65th Avenue Southeast
25
Turn right
68 ft·5 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 48.2 miles from Minneapolis, MN, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 65 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 21 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48.2 miles or 1h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Marion, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Minneapolis, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Minneapolis, MN
This is one driving day of about 96.3 miles and 2h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Minneapolis, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 52 for about 65 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 48.2 mi from Minneapolis, MN
· 1h 6m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.9
0
$10.11
$4.62
Efficient EV
24.1
0
$8.43
$3.85
EV Truck/SUV
38.5
0
$13.48
$6.16
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Minneapolis, MN
Morning
in Minneapolis on Friday
Local time
10:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Marion, MN
Morning
in Marion on Friday
Local time
10:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Vermillion, MN
48 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2h 4m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Minneapolis, MN to Marion, MN covers 96.3 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 52, MN 55, County 14 Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 48.2 miles from Minneapolis, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.33 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 96.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (MN 55): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.1 miles (MN 55): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Minneapolis, MN and Marion, MN, road signs point toward Rochester and Cr 24: Cannon Falls.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
