Origin
Oakdale, MN
Morning in Oakdale on Friday
Local time
6:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oakdale, MN to Saint Cloud, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 38m
Distance
80.9 mi
130 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 31m
★
6 AM
1h 38m
8 AM
1h 53m
10 AM
1h 43m
12 PM
1h 42m
3 PM
1h 44m
5 PM
1h 52m
8 PM
1h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oakdale, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Cloud, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Oakdale, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 80.9 miles and takes about 1h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 694, I 94, I-94 W for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29.1 miles on I 694. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.04 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.5 miles from Oakdale, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 38m. Total distance: 80.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 38m highway drive covering 80.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 694 and I 94. The longest continuous stretch is about 29.1 miles on I 694.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 694 is the longest continuous segment at about 29.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 694 and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 80.9 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles (I 694): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 694 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 694 North
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 694
Merge onto I 694
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
11.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 694
Keep slight right at fork onto I 694
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
75.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
Take the exit toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 171
Toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
6
80.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 37m in
|
Courthouse Square
At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oakdale, MN and Saint Cloud, MN, road signs point toward Cr 7 and Cr 75: Saint Augusta.
Cr 7
75.4 mi in
|
~1h 26m
Cr 75: Saint Augusta
75.4 mi in
|
~1h 26m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 694 | 29.1 mi | 36m |
| I 94 | 28.6 mi | 30m |
| I-94 W | 17.1 mi | 18m |
| Roosevelt Road | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| 9th Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| 11th Avenue South | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 10th Street North | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 10th Avenue South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 694
— 29.1 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oakdale, MN and Saint Cloud, MN.
1
Start on CH 10
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
10th Street North
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 694 North
Use the right lane.
3
Merge onto I 694
11 mi
·
13 min
·
I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 694
18 mi
·
22 min
·
I 694
Use the slight right lane.
5
Continue on I 94
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I-94 W
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
29 mi
·
30 min
·
I 94
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 171
Toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
8
Keep slight right at fork
521 ft
·
12 sec
9
Turn straight onto CR 75
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Roosevelt Road
10
Turn right onto 22nd Street South
127 ft
·
7 sec
·
22nd Street South
11
Turn left onto 11th Avenue South
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Avenue South
12
Turn right onto 15th Street South
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
15th Street South
13
At end of road, turn left onto 9th Avenue South
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
9th Avenue South
14
Continue on 10th Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
10th Avenue South
15
Turn right onto 1st Street North
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
1st Street North
16
At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square
270 ft
·
11 sec
·
Courthouse Square
17
Arrive at destination
Courthouse Square
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40.5 miles from Oakdale, MN, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 18 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.5 miles or 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Cloud, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Oakdale, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Oakdale, MN
This is one driving day of about 80.9 miles and 1h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Oakdale, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 694 for about 29.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 40.5 mi from Oakdale, MN · 49m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
40 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 40.5 miles from Oakdale, 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
$12.04 one way
$24.08 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $12.97 | $25.95 |
| premium | $4.53 | $14.43 | $28.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.86 | $35.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.3 | 0 | $8.49 | $3.88 |
| Efficient EV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.08 | $3.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.4 | 0 | $11.33 | $5.18 |
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.
Destination
Saint Cloud, MN
Morning in Saint Cloud on Friday
Local time
6:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
22 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 38m 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 Oakdale, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 80.9 miles and takes about 1h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 694, I 94, I-94 W. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 40.5 miles from Oakdale, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.04 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 80.9 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles (I 694): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Oakdale, MN and Saint Cloud, MN, road signs point toward Cr 7 and Cr 75: Saint Augusta.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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