Rochester: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Rochester is a city of 112,225 people in United States (Minnesota), 314 m (1,030 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Rochester International Airport (RST), 13 km (8 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Rochester runs from about 8 h 57 min a day in late December to 15 h 33 min in late June (computed for 44.02° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Rochester is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Rochester International Airport (RST), 13 km (8 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,034 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE, 98 km).
Flights to Rochester: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Rochester · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Milwaukee, 384 km — buses · car rental
- Minneapolis, 124 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Saint Paul, 114 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Madison, 269 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Des Moines, 285 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Sioux Falls, 346 km — buses · car rental
- Rockford, 336 km — buses · car rental
- Cedar Rapids, 234 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Green Bay, 359 km — buses · car rental
- Davenport, 318 km — buses · car rental
Common questions
Which airport serves Rochester?
Rochester International Airport (RST), 13 km (8 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Rochester?
About 112,225 people live in Rochester, across 142 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Rochester in?
America/Chicago, currently UTC-5.
What currency is used in Rochester?
The Dollar (USD). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Rochester?
Milwaukee (384 km), Minneapolis (124 km), Saint Paul (114 km), Madison (269 km), Des Moines (285 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.