Origin
Apple Valley, MN
Morning in Apple Valley on Saturday
Local time
9:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Apple Valley, MN to South Saint Paul, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
17.6 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 23m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
South Saint Paul, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Apple Valley, MN to South Saint Paul, MN covers 17.6 miles and takes about 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35E, I 494, Cedar Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.9 miles on I 35E. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.62 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 17.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 24m highway drive covering 17.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 35E and I 494. The longest continuous stretch is about 5.9 miles on I 35E.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35E is the longest continuous segment at about 5.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35E 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 near CR 23 / Cedar Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 9 decision points packed into just 17.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Turn right onto CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
2.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 35E North: Saint Paul
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2A
Toward I 35E North: Saint Paul
6
9.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 494 West, I 494 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 99A-B
Toward I 494 West, I 494 East
8
10 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 99A
Toward I 494 East
7
16 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward CR 56: Concord Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 64B
Toward CR 56: Concord Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35E | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| I 494 | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| Cedar Avenue | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Concord Street South | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| John E Carroll Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Concord Exchange North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| County Road 42 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35E
— 5.9 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apple Valley, MN and South Saint Paul, MN.
1
Start on CR 42
35 ft
·
6 sec
·
County Road 42
2
Turn right onto CR 23
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 2A
Toward I 35E North: Saint Paul
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 35E
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 99A-B
Toward I 494 West, I 494 East
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 99A
Toward I 494 East
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 494
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 64B
Toward CR 56: Concord Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto CH 56
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Concord Street South
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto CH 14
272 ft
·
16 sec
·
John E Carroll Avenue
11
Turn left onto Concord Exchange North
74 ft
·
1 sec
·
Concord Exchange North
12
Arrive at destination
Concord Exchange North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.62 one way
$5.24 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.82 | $5.64 |
| premium | $4.53 | $3.14 | $6.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.89 | $7.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.85 | $0.84 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.54 | $0.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.13 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
South Saint Paul, MN
Morning in South Saint Paul on Saturday
Local time
9:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
1 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
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Apple Valley, MN to South Saint Paul, MN covers 17.6 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35E, I 494, Cedar Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.8 miles from Apple Valley, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.62 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 9 decision points packed into just 17.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Apple Valley, MN to South Saint Paul, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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