Origin
Minneapolis, MN
Afternoon in Minneapolis on Saturday
Local time
1:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minneapolis, 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
25m
Distance
15.1 mi
24 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Saint Paul, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Minneapolis, MN to South Saint Paul, MN covers 15.1 miles and takes about 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, Concord Street, Lafayette Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.4 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.25 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 8.4 mi | 11m |
| Concord Street | 3 mi | 6m |
| Lafayette Freeway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| 11th Avenue South | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| US 52 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 6th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| John E Carroll Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 8.4 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minneapolis, MN and South Saint Paul, MN.
1
Start on CR 152
63 ft
·
9 sec
·
Washington Avenue South
2
Continue on CR 152
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Avenue South
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto 11th Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Avenue South
4
Turn left onto South 6th Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
South 6th Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 94 East
6
Merge onto I 94
8.4 mi
·
11 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto US 52
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 52
Exit 242D
Toward US 52
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto US 52
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Lafayette Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 129A
Toward MN 156: Concord Street
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto MN 156
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Concord Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Turn right onto CH 14
184 ft
·
9 sec
·
John E Carroll Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto Concord Exchange North
74 ft
·
1 sec
·
Concord Exchange North
13
Arrive at destination
Concord Exchange North
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 11.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
South 6th Street
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 94
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
10.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 52
Take the exit onto US 52 toward US 52
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 242D
Toward US 52
5
10.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 52 / Lafayette Freeway
Merge onto US 52 / Lafayette Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward MN 156: Concord Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 129A
Toward MN 156: Concord Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.25 one way
$4.49 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.42 | $4.84 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.69 | $5.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.33 | $6.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.59 | $0.72 |
| Efficient EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.32 | $0.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6 | 0 | $2.11 | $0.97 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Afternoon in South Saint Paul on Saturday
Local time
1:10 PM
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
2 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
25m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
15.1 mi in 25m, mostly highway — 8.4 mi of that is on I 94.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.4 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and Concord Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near South 6th Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 15.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (South 6th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (US 52): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 15.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.4 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at South Saint Paul, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (South 6th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (US 52): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at South Saint Paul, MN before heading back.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From South Saint Paul, MN
Explore more options from Minneapolis, MN or browse trips ending in South Saint Paul, MN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.