How far is Nelson, MN from Osakis, MN?

The driving distance from Nelson, MN to Osakis, MN is about 6.2 miles (10 km), with a travel time of about 00h 10m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 5.6 miles (9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 20m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
6.22 mi
00h 10m
Flight
5.6 mi
9.02 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Nelson.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
5.6 mi
Kilometers
9.02 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
6.22 mi
Kilometers
10.01 km
Drive Time
00h 10m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 10m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Osakis
Wed, Apr 15, 7:13 AM CDT
Return by in Nelson
Wed, Apr 15, 7:23 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Nelson
2026-04-15T07:03
Arrive Osakis
Wed, Apr 15, 7:13 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 10m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:10 AM to 7:10 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
8:10 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Nelson
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Alexandria
MN

City in Minnesota, United States

From Nelson
3.1 mi
00h 05m
To Osakis
3.1 mi
00h 05m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
57°F
Wednesday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph NNW
Destination
57°F
Wednesday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Nelson and Osakis.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Nelson and Osakis.

  1. 1

    Start on Hope Avenue West

    29 m · 7 sec · Hope Avenue West

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Nelson Street North

    1 km · 2 min · Nelson Street North

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Douglas County Highway 82

    4.6 mi · 6 min · Douglas County Highway 82

  4. 4

    Continue on West Nokomis Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · West Nokomis Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Central Avenue

    11 m · 2 sec · Central Avenue

  6. 6

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Central Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Nelson and Osakis.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
6 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
96.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Douglas County Highway 82
4.56 mi · 73%
West Nokomis Street
0.99 mi · 16%
Nelson Street North
0.64 mi · 10%
Hope Avenue West
0.02 mi
Central Avenue
0.01 mi
Longest Stretch

Douglas County Highway 82

Turn left onto Douglas County Highway 82

4.56 mi · 00h 06m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 10m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+0.6 mi
5.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Alexandria
00h 05m from Nelson
Leave By
8:10 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Nelson and Chance Rain Showers near Osakis.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Nelson to Osakis?

The road trip is about 6.2 miles (10 km) and usually takes 00h 10m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Alexandria is a useful midpoint, sitting about 3.1 miles from Nelson and 3.1 miles from Osakis.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 5.6 miles (9 km), while the road route adds roughly 0.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:10 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $0.79 one way or $1.57 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Nelson and Chance Rain Showers near Osakis.

Stop Ideas Near Alexandria

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Alexandria, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Alexandria.

RAIL

Staples

69 mi away
First & Fourth Aves
RAIL

St. Cloud

102 mi away
555 East St. Germain Street
RAIL

Detroit Lakes

110 mi away
116 Pioneer Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Nelson and Osakis. Straight-line distance: 5.6 mi (9.02 km).

Nelson

#1 Nelson

City in Douglas County, Minnesota, United States

Population284
Coordinates45.8894100, -95.2642000
Altitude415
CountryUnited States
Osakis

#2 Osakis

City in Douglas and Todd counties in the U.

Population149
Coordinates45.8669100, -95.1522500
Altitude413
CountryUnited States
Start: Nelson (-95.2642, 45.88941)
End: Osakis (-95.15225, 45.86691)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 10 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 12m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 07m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 06m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 05m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 04m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.22 gal
0.83 L · about $0.79
Round trip
$1.57
0.44 gal · 1.66 L
Estimated CO2
2 kg one way
Round trip: 3.9 kg / 9 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.57 $0.79 $1.57
Mid-grade $3.92 $0.86 $1.73
Premium $4.39 $0.97 $1.93
Diesel $4.86 $1.07 $2.14

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Minnesota · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Nelson and Osakis. The current time is 07:03:44.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.