Origin
Minot, ND
Morning in Minot on Saturday
Local time
10:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minot, ND to Thompson, ND
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 27m
Distance
222.9 mi
359 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$35
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 14m
★
6 AM
4h 28m
8 AM
4h 54m
10 AM
4h 37m
12 PM
4h 34m
3 PM
4h 38m
5 PM
4h 53m
8 PM
4h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Minot, ND
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Minot, ND to Thompson, ND covers 222.9 miles and takes about 4h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Highway 15, US-52, Valley Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 120.4 miles on State Highway 15. At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
111.5 miles from Minot, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 15m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 27m. Total distance: 222.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 4h 27m highway drive covering 222.9 miles, with most of the trip on State Highway 15 and US-52. The longest continuous stretch is about 120.4 miles on State Highway 15.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Highway 15 is the longest continuous segment at about 120.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 15 and US-52. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near US 52 Business / Valley Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 27m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (US 52 Business / Valley Street): Navigation decision point; at 114.5 miles (US 281; ND 15): Navigation decision point; at 117.5 miles (ND 15 / State Highway 15): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 52 Business / Valley Street
Turn right onto US 52 Business / Valley Street
Navigation decision point
4
114.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 18m in
|
US 281; ND 15
Turn left onto US 281; ND 15
Navigation decision point
4
117.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 22m in
|
ND 15 / State Highway 15
Turn right onto ND 15 / State Highway 15
Navigation decision point
4
142.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 51m in
|
ND 20; ND 15 / State Highway 20
At end of road, turn left onto ND 20; ND 15 / State Highway 20
Navigation decision point
4
150.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 1m in
|
ND 15 / State Highway 15
Turn right onto ND 15 / State Highway 15
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 15 | 120.4 mi | 2h 22m |
| US-52 | 59.7 mi | 1h 9m |
| Valley Street | 21.2 mi | 27m |
| State Highway 20 | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| United States Highway 52 | 7.4 mi | 8m |
| US 281 | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Railroad Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| West Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 15
— 120.4 mi, about 2h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minot, ND and Thompson, ND.
1
Start on US 2 Business; US 52 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Burdick Expressway West
2
Turn right onto US 52 Business
21 mi
·
27 min
·
Valley Street
3
Continue on US 52
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Street
4
Continue on US 52
27 mi
·
31 min
·
US-52
5
Continue on US 52; ND 14
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
United States Highway 52
6
Continue on US 52
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
US-52
7
Continue on US 52
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
1st Street
8
Continue on US 52
11 mi
·
13 min
·
US-52
9
Continue on US 52
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
United State Highway 52
10
Continue on US 52
15 mi
·
17 min
·
US-52
11
Turn left onto ND 15
24 mi
·
29 min
·
State Highway 15
12
Turn left onto US 281; ND 15
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
US 281; ND 15
13
Turn right onto ND 15
25 mi
·
29 min
·
State Highway 15
14
At end of road, turn left onto ND 20; ND 15
8.1 mi
·
9 min
·
State Highway 20
15
Turn right onto ND 15
12 mi
·
13 min
·
State Highway 15
16
Continue on ND 15
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Railroad Avenue
17
Continue on ND 15
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
State Highway 15
18
Continue on ND 15
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Railroad Avenue
19
Continue on ND 15
52 mi
·
1 hr
·
State Highway 15
20
Arrive at destination
ND 15
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 111.5 miles from Minot, ND, or about 2h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 120.4 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 49 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 111.5 miles or 2h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Thompson, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Minot, ND 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 Minot, ND
This is one driving day of about 222.9 miles and 4h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Minot, ND.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on State Highway 15 for about 120.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 111.5 mi from Minot, ND · 2h 15m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
111 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 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 111.5 miles from Minot, ND, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before State Highway 15 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 120.4 miles.
Arriving in Thompson, ND
The final approach into Thompson, ND usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Thompson, ND.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.85 one way
$69.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
78 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $38.26 | $76.52 |
| premium | $4.89 | $42.90 | $85.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $49.21 | $98.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 66.9 | 0 | $23.40 | $10.70 |
| Efficient EV | 55.7 | 0 | $19.50 | $8.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 89.2 | 1 | $31.21 | $14.27 |
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Thompson, ND
Morning in Thompson on Saturday
Local time
10:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
66°F
Munster, ND
111 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
27 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
4h 27m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Minot, ND to Thompson, ND covers 222.9 miles and takes about 4h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Highway 15, US-52, Valley Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 111.5 miles from Minot, ND. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.85 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 27m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (US 52 Business / Valley Street): Navigation decision point; at 114.5 miles (US 281; ND 15): Navigation decision point; at 117.5 miles (ND 15 / State Highway 15): Navigation decision point.
The route from Minot, ND to Thompson, ND does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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