Origin
Montrose, MN
Evening in Montrose on Thursday
Local time
5:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montrose, MN to Bloomington, MN
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
55m
Distance
40.3 mi
65 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montrose, MN
Tom Fisk
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Montrose, MN to Bloomington, MN covers 40.3 miles and takes about 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 494, Babcock Boulevard, US 12 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.3 miles on I 494. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.00 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 40.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Montrose, MN to Bloomington, MN covers 40.3 miles and takes about 55m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 494 is the longest continuous segment at about 13.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 23.9 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 12 decision points packed into just 40.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 23.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
23.9 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward I 494: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
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 1A-B
Toward I 494: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
7
24.2 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494
7
24.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494 South
7
38.4 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
7
40 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward 90th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 7B
Toward 90th Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 13.3 mi | 16m |
| Babcock Boulevard | 13.2 mi | 17m |
| US 12 | 6 mi | 8m |
| Babcock Boulevard West | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| I 35W | 1 mi | 1m |
| Nelson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 60th Street Southeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 90th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 13.3 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montrose, MN and Bloomington, MN.
1
Start on CR 12
23 ft
·
7 sec
·
Buffalo Avenue South
2
Turn left onto US 12; MN 25
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
3
Continue on US 12; MN 25
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 12; MN 25
4
Continue on US 12
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
60th Street Southeast
5
Continue on US 12
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
US 12
6
Continue on US 12
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Babcock Boulevard West
7
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
8
Continue on US 12
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
9
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
10
Continue on US 12
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 1A-B
Toward I 494: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 494 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 494
13 mi
·
16 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Use the slight right lane.
16
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
this road
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
17
Merge onto I 35W
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35W
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 7B
Toward 90th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn left onto West 90th Street
207 ft
·
5 sec
·
West 90th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
20
Arrive at destination
West 90th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.1 mi from Montrose, MN · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Montrose, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bloomington, MN
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Bloomington, MN if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.00 one way
$11.99 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $6.46 | $12.92 |
| premium | $4.53 | $7.19 | $14.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.90 | $17.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.93 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Bloomington, MN
Evening in Bloomington on Thursday
Local time
5:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
66°F
Medina, MN
20 mi in
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
20 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
55m 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 Montrose, MN to Bloomington, MN covers 40.3 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 494, Babcock Boulevard, US 12. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.1 miles from Montrose, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.00 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 short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 40.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
The main spots that need attention: at 23.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Montrose, MN to Bloomington, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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