Origin
Plymouth, MN
Afternoon in Plymouth on Saturday
Local time
2:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plymouth, MN to Albany, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
76.6 mi
123 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Albany, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Plymouth, MN to Albany, MN covers 76.6 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, I 494, Railroad Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 70 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.40 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 70 mi | 1h 15m |
| I 494 | 5 mi | 6m |
| Railroad Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 8th Street South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| MN 55 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 70 mi, about 1h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MN and Albany, MN.
1
Start on MN 55
62 ft
·
3 sec
·
MN 55
2
Take the exit
186 ft
·
4 sec
Toward I 494 North
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 494 North
4
Merge onto I 494
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 94
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
53 mi
·
57 min
·
I 94
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward MN 238, CR 10: Albany
9
Turn right onto MN 238
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
8th Street South
10
Turn right onto MN 238
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Railroad Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
MN 238
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 38.3 miles from Plymouth, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 94 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 70 miles.
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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 75.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the exit toward I 494 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 494 North
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 494 North
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 494
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
5.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
5
75.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward MN 238, CR 10: Albany
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MN 238, CR 10: Albany
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.40 one way
$22.80 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $12.28 | $24.57 |
| premium | $4.53 | $13.67 | $27.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.91 | $33.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23 | 0 | $8.04 | $3.68 |
| Efficient EV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.70 | $3.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.6 | 0 | $10.72 | $4.90 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Albany, MN
Afternoon in Albany on Saturday
Local time
2:52 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°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
19 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
1h 24m 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?
76.6 mi in 1h 24m, mostly highway — 70 mi of that is on I 94.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 76.6 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; near the start: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.4 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Plymouth, MN
Full guide →Plymouth is a city located in the heart of Minnesota. This city is a place that has a good solid community and friendly people. Plymouth has a lot to offer both its residents and its travelers. They are known for having affordable housing, low crime rates and most importantly an active outdoor culture. Plymouth was also Money Magazine's best place to live in 2008. If Plymouth was ranked as the number one place to live, it must be a really great place to travel to as well.
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 1h 24m. Total distance: 76.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70 miles on I 94. 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 Albany, 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: near the start: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; near the start: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.4 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Albany, MN before heading back.
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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