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Trip from West Fargo, ND to New Salem, ND

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

3h 35m

Distance

219.9 mi

354 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$34

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

25 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
3h 23m ★
6 AM
3h 36m
8 AM
4h 1m
10 AM
3h 44m
12 PM
3h 42m
3 PM
3h 46m
5 PM
3h 59m
8 PM
3h 28m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown West Fargo, ND, ND

West Fargo, ND

cole peters

Downtown New Salem, ND, ND

New Salem, ND

Banx Photography

Trip Overview

The drive from West Fargo, ND to New Salem, ND covers 219.9 miles and takes about 3h 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 94, Main Avenue West, 8th Street North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 215.4 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.38 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.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

110 miles from West Fargo, ND

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 46m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 3h 35m highway drive covering 219.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 94 and Main Avenue West. The longest continuous stretch is about 215.4 miles on I 94.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 215.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and Main Avenue West. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 1st Street.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 3h 35m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (I 94 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 218.4 miles (ND 31 / State Highway 31): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 1st Street

Turn left onto 1st Street

Navigation decision point

4
2.1 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 94 Business

Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 Business

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
218.4 mi into trip | ~3h 32m in | ND 31 / State Highway 31

Turn left onto ND 31 / State Highway 31

Navigation decision point

4
219.4 mi into trip | ~3h 34m in | CR 139 / Ash Avenue

Turn left onto CR 139 / Ash Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
219.8 mi into trip | ~3h 35m in | Elm Avenue

Turn left onto Elm Avenue

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 94 215.4 mi 3h 26m
Main Avenue West 1.9 mi 2m
8th Street North 0.9 mi 1m
I 94 Business 0.6 mi 1m
Ash Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
5th Street North 0.2 mi <1m
State Highway 31 0.2 mi <1m
1st Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 94 — 215.4 mi, about 3h 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between West Fargo, ND and New Salem, ND.

1

Start on 2nd Avenue West

126 ft · 11 sec · 2nd Avenue West
2

Turn left onto 1st Street

0.1 mi · 20 sec · 1st Street
3

Turn left onto I 94 Business; US 10

1.9 mi · 2 min · Main Avenue West
4

Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 Business

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 94 Business
5

Merge onto I 94; US 52

176 mi · 2 hr 46 min · I 94; US 52
6

Continue on I 94; US 83

40 mi · 40 min · I 94; US 83
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
8

Turn left onto ND 31

0.2 mi · 16 sec · State Highway 31
9

Continue on 8th Street North

0.9 mi · 1 min · 8th Street North
10

Turn left onto CR 139

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Ash Avenue
11

Turn right onto 5th Street North

0.2 mi · 47 sec · 5th Street North
12

Turn left onto Elm Avenue

430 ft · 19 sec · Elm Avenue
13

Arrive at destination

Elm Avenue

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 110 miles from West Fargo, ND, or about 1h 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 215.4 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 80 miles or 1h 18m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 110 miles or 1h 46m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 53m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New Salem, ND than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving West Fargo, 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 West Fargo, ND

This is one driving day of about 219.9 miles and 3h 35m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from West Fargo, 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 I 94 for about 215.4 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 110 mi from West Fargo, ND · 1h 46m into the drive

seat of Stutsman County, North Dakota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Jamestown, ND

110 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

Jamestown, ND

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Jamestown, ND

Meal break

The midpoint is around 110 miles from West Fargo, ND, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 94 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 215.4 miles.

Arriving in New Salem, ND

The final approach into New Salem, 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 New Salem, 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

$34.38 one way

$68.76 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 77 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $37.75 $75.49
premium $4.89 $42.32 $84.64
diesel $5.61 $48.55 $97.10

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$34

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$59–$84

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 76.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

25 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Scheels - Tesla Supercharger

Fargo, ND

Tesla

12 DCFC

Casey's General Store - Tesla Supercharger

Fargo, ND

Tesla

8 DCFC

Buffalo Mall - Tesla Supercharger

Jamestown, ND

Tesla

8 DCFC

Pinehurst Square - Tesla Supercharger

Bismarck, ND

Tesla

8 DCFC

Menards West Fargo 3036 (West Fargo, ND)

West Fargo, ND

Electrify America

6 DCFC

The Shoppes at Jamestown (Jamestown, ND)

Jamestown, ND

Electrify America

6 DCFC

Menards Bismarck 3313 (Bismarck, ND)

Bismarck, ND

Electrify America

6 DCFC

Flying J 685

Fargo, ND

eVgo Network

4 DCFC

ChargePoint Network: 9 Tesla: 4 Electrify America: 3 Blink Network: 3 EV Connect: 2 RED_E: 2 eVgo Network: 1 Non-Networked: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 66 0 $23.09 $10.56
Efficient EV 55 0 $19.24 $8.80
EV Truck/SUV 88 1 $30.79 $14.07

Gas CO2

77 kg

EV CO2

26 kg (66% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 4 days ago

Origin

West Fargo, ND

Afternoon in West Fargo on Tuesday

Local time

4:27 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

New Salem, ND

Afternoon in New Salem on Tuesday

Local time

4:27 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

38°F

Jamestown, ND

110 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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

3h 35m 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 West Fargo, ND to New Salem, ND covers 219.9 miles and takes about 3h 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, Main Avenue West, 8th Street North. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 110 miles from West Fargo, ND. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.38 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 35m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (I 94 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 218.4 miles (ND 31 / State Highway 31): Navigation decision point.
The route from West Fargo, ND to New Salem, ND does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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