Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
20.6 mi
33 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Park Heights, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Paul, MN
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Oak Park Heights, MN to Saint Paul, MN covers 20.6 miles and takes about 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 36, I 35E, 60th Street North (South Frontage Road) for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.4 miles on MN 36. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.07 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 20.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 30m highway drive covering 20.6 miles, with most of the trip on MN 36 and I 35E. The longest continuous stretch is about 14.4 miles on MN 36.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 36 and I 35E. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Penrose Avenue North.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 20.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Penrose Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 15.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.3 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto Penrose Avenue North
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward I 35E South, US 10 East: Saint Paul
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto US 10 toward US 10 East, I 94 East, US 52 South: 10th Street, Wacouta Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward 10th Street, Wacouta Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward 10th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 36 | 14.4 mi | 18m |
| I 35E | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| 60th Street North (South Frontage Road) | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Robert Street North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Kellogg Boulevard East | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Penrose Avenue North | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 10th Street East | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| US 10 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Park Heights, MN and Saint Paul, MN.
Start on this road
Turn left onto 57th Street North
Turn right onto Penrose Avenue North
At end of road, turn left onto CH 23
Turn right
Turn right onto CH 24
Turn left onto MN 36
Take the exit
Merge onto I 35E; US 10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 10
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on 10th Street East
Turn left onto Robert Street North
Turn right onto Kellogg Boulevard East
Turn right onto Wabasha Street North
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$3.07 one way
$6.13 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.30 | $6.61 |
| premium | $4.53 | $3.68 | $7.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.55 | $9.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.16 | $0.99 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.88 | $1.32 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Oak Park Heights on Saturday
Local time
8:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
30°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Saint Paul on Saturday
Local time
8:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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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