Origin
Plymouth, MN
Morning in Plymouth on Saturday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Plymouth, MN to Champlin, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
15.8 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Champlin, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Plymouth, MN to Champlin, MN is 15.8 miles and takes about 21 minutes via US 169, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward trip entirely within Minnesota's Midwest region. Given its brief distance and primarily highway focus, it's an easy drive for a single day, with minimal planning required. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, making it a functional commute or quick hop rather than an immersive scenic journey.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 15.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is overwhelmingly a highway-focused drive, with 90% of the travel occurring on major interstates and highways. You'll experience a consistent flow of traffic on roads like US 169, I 494, and I 94. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is approximately 7.3 miles on US 169, offering a good period of steady driving. Expect a practical, efficient journey with minimal deviations from the main thoroughfares, designed for direct travel between these two Minnesota locations.
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.
US 169 is the longest continuous segment at about 7.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 169 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.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 15.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; near the start: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.4 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 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
Take the exit toward I 494 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 494 North
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 494 North
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 494
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
5.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 East, I 694 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 East, I 694 East
7
7.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward US 169 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 29B
Toward US 169 North
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 169 | 7.3 mi | 9m |
| I 494 | 5 mi | 6m |
| I 94 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Dean Avenue East | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Independence Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| MN 55 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Richardson Avenue East | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 169
— 7.3 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MN and Champlin, MN.
1
Start on MN 55
62 ft
·
3 sec
·
MN 55
2
Take the exit
186 ft
·
4 sec
Toward I 494 North
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 494 North
4
Merge onto I 494
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 94 East, I 694 East
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 94; I 694
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 94; I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 29B
Toward US 169 North
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto US 169
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
US 169
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto Dean Avenue East
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
Dean Avenue East
10
Turn right onto Independence Avenue North
398 ft
·
19 sec
·
Independence Avenue North
11
Turn right onto Richardson Avenue East
30 ft
·
1 sec
·
Richardson Avenue East
12
Arrive at destination
Richardson Avenue East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.35 one way
$4.70 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.53 | $5.07 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.82 | $5.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.49 | $6.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 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 | 4.7 | 0 | $1.66 | $0.76 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.21 | $1.01 |
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
Champlin, MN
Morning in Champlin on Saturday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°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
21m 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 Plymouth, MN to Champlin, MN covers 15.8 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 169, I 494, I 94. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.9 miles from Plymouth, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.35 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 10 decision points packed into just 15.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; near the start: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.4 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Plymouth, MN to Champlin, 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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