Origin
South Saint Paul, MN
Afternoon in South Saint Paul on Saturday
Local time
1:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Saint Paul, MN to Saint Cloud, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 40m
Distance
80.6 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 33m
★
6 AM
1h 41m
8 AM
1h 56m
10 AM
1h 46m
12 PM
1h 45m
3 PM
1h 47m
5 PM
1h 55m
8 PM
1h 36m
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
Saint Cloud, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from South Saint Paul, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 80.6 miles and takes about 1h 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, US 10, I-94 W for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.8 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.99 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
40.3 miles from South Saint Paul, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 28.8 mi | 30m |
| US 10 | 24 mi | 29m |
| I-94 W | 17.1 mi | 18m |
| Roosevelt Road | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Concord Street North | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| Lafayette Freeway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| 9th Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| US 52 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 28.8 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Saint Paul, MN and Saint Cloud, MN.
1
Start on Concord Exchange North
29 ft
·
2 sec
·
Concord Exchange North
2
Turn right onto CH 14
188 ft
·
7 sec
·
John E Carroll Avenue
3
Turn left onto Concord Street North
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Concord Street North
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward US 52 North
5
Merge onto US 52
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Lafayette Freeway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 52
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 52
7
Merge onto I 94; US 10
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
I 94; US 10
8
Take the exit onto US 10
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
US 10
Exit 242B
Toward I 35E North, US 10 West
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 10
Exit 113-114
Toward US 10 West, I 694 West, I 694 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on US 10
19 mi
·
22 min
·
US 10
Exit 113
Toward I 694 West, US 10 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 94
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I-94 W
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
29 mi
·
30 min
·
I 94
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 171
Toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
14
Keep slight right at fork
521 ft
·
12 sec
15
Turn straight onto CR 75
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Roosevelt Road
16
Turn right onto 22nd Street South
127 ft
·
7 sec
·
22nd Street South
17
Turn left onto 11th Avenue South
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Avenue South
18
Turn right onto 15th Street South
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
15th Street South
19
At end of road, turn left onto 9th Avenue South
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
9th Avenue South
20
Continue on 10th Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
10th Avenue South
21
Turn right onto 1st Street North
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
1st Street North
22
At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square
270 ft
·
11 sec
·
Courthouse Square
23
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 40.3 miles from South Saint Paul, MN, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.8 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 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.3 miles or 52m 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 22m
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 South Saint Paul, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from South Saint Paul, MN
This is one driving day of about 80.6 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from South Saint Paul, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 94 for about 28.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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 40.3 miles from South Saint Paul, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 5.5 and 80.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
5.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
US 10
Take the exit onto US 10 toward I 35E North, US 10 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 242B
Toward I 35E North, US 10 West
9
10.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10 toward US 10 West, I 694 West, I 694 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 113-114
Toward US 10 West, I 694 West, I 694 East
5
10.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 10
Continue onto US 10 toward I 694 West, US 10 West
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 113
Toward I 694 West, US 10 West
6
75.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m 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
80.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 40m in
|
Courthouse Square
At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.99 one way
$23.99 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $12.92 | $25.85 |
| premium | $4.53 | $14.38 | $28.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.80 | $35.59 |
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: 28.2 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 | 24.2 | 0 | $8.46 | $3.87 |
| Efficient EV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.05 | $3.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.2 | 0 | $11.28 | $5.16 |
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
Afternoon in Saint Cloud on Saturday
Local time
1:56 PM
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
2 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 40m 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?
80.6 mi in 1h 40m, mostly highway — 28.8 mi of that is on I 94.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.8 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and US 10. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.5 miles in near US 10.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 80.6 miles you will encounter 19 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 5.5 miles (US 10): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.9 miles (US 10): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between South Saint Paul, MN and Saint Cloud, MN, road signs point toward Cr 7 and Cr 75: Saint Augusta.
Cr 7
75.1 mi in
|
~1h 29m
Cr 75: Saint Augusta
75.1 mi in
|
~1h 29m
About the Cities
Arriving in Saint Cloud, MN
Full guide →Saint Cloud is a city in Central Minnesota with a population of 68,000 (2018). Although it may have few attractions to draw the tourist, it is a nexus of medical advances, particularly in orthopedics (St. Cloud Orthopedics Associates, for example). It is also a college town as it is home to St. Cloud State University and St Cloud Technical College. The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University are nearby.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 40m. Total distance: 80.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.8 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 Saint Cloud, 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 5.5 miles (US 10): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.9 miles (US 10): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Cloud, 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.
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