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Trip from Burnsville, MN to Saint Cloud, MN

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 22m

Distance

81.1 mi

131 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 16m ★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m

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

city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States

Burnsville, MN

Wikimedia Commons

city on tripoint of Benton, Sherburne and Stearns Counties in Minnesota, United States

Saint Cloud, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Burnsville, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 81.1 miles and takes about 1h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35W North, I 494 East, I 494 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.07 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 81.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 22m drive with frequent turns across 81.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35W North is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Burnsville, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is easy. At 1h 22m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Burnsville, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35W North
I 494 East
I 494 West
I 94 West
CR 7
Roosevelt Road
22nd Street South
11th Avenue South

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: I 35W North — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Burnsville, MN and Saint Cloud, MN.

1

Start on Nicollet Avenue South

0.6 mi · 1 min · Nicollet Avenue South
2

Turn left

0.3 mi · 33 sec
3

Take the exit slight right toward I 35W North: Minneapolis

0.3 mi · 44 sec · I 35W North: Minneapolis
4

Merge slight left

5.4 mi · 6 min
5

Take the exit slight right toward I 494 East, MN 5 East

0.3 mi · 37 sec · I 494 East, MN 5 East
6

Keep slight left to continue on I 494 West, MN 5 West

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 494 West, MN 5 West
7

Merge slight left

5.8 mi · 7 min
8

Keep slight left

16 mi · 19 min
9

Keep slight left to continue on I 94 West: Saint Cloud

0.6 mi · 50 sec · I 94 West: Saint Cloud
10

Continue straight

17 mi · 18 min
11

Keep slight left

29 mi · 30 min
12

Take the exit slight right toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud

0.3 mi · 43 sec · CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
13

Keep slight right

522 ft · 13 sec
14

Turn straight onto Roosevelt Road

3.1 mi · 4 min · Roosevelt Road
15

Turn right onto 22nd Street South

128 ft · 7 sec · 22nd Street South
16

Turn left onto 11th Avenue South

0.5 mi · 1 min · 11th Avenue South
17

Turn right onto 15th Street South

0.1 mi · 22 sec · 15th Street South
18

At the end of the road, turn left onto 9th Avenue South

0.9 mi · 2 min · 9th Avenue South
19

Continue on 10th Avenue South

0.3 mi · 50 sec · 10th Avenue South
20

Turn right onto 1st Street North

0.1 mi · 29 sec · 1st Street North
21

At the end of the road, turn left onto Courthouse Square

269 ft · 12 sec · Courthouse Square
22

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 40.6 mi from Burnsville, MN · 41m into the drive

city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Maple Grove, MN

41 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

Eden Prairie, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Maple Grove, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 40.6 miles from Burnsville, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Saint Cloud, MN

The final approach into Saint Cloud, MN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.07 one way

$24.14 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 28 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $13.00 $26.01
premium $4.53 $14.47 $28.94
diesel $5.61 $17.91 $35.81

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$12

Estimated CO2 emission: 28.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 24.3 0 $8.52 $3.89
Efficient EV 20.3 0 $7.10 $3.24
EV Truck/SUV 32.4 0 $11.35 $5.19

Gas CO2

28 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (68% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Burnsville, MN

Afternoon in Burnsville on Thursday

Local time

12:56 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Saint Cloud, MN

Afternoon in Saint Cloud on Thursday

Local time

12:56 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°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

20 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 22m 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 Burnsville, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 81.1 miles and takes about 1h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35W North, I 494 East, I 494 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 40.6 miles from Burnsville, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.07 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.
The drive from Burnsville, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is easy. At 1h 22m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Burnsville, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Burnsville, MN to Saint Cloud, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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