Origin
Afton, MN
Late night in Afton on Tuesday
Local time
5:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Afton, MN to Eagan, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
24.3 mi
39 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Afton, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Eagan, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward connection between Afton and Eagan, this 24.3-mile trip is a quick and efficient way to cross the region. Expect to spend about 36 minutes behind the wheel, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting roughly $3 for fuel makes this an incredibly economical commute within the Midwest. While the route is short, it serves as a functional link between these two Minnesota locations. Because there are no designated stops, you can easily complete the drive in one go without the need for extensive planning. It is a practical, no-nonsense path for anyone needing to navigate between these two points in the state.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bailey Road | 7.2 mi | 10m |
| I 494 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Wakota Bridge | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| 40th Street South | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Pilot Knob Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| Afton Boulevard | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| I 35E | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Maxwell Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Bailey Road
— 7.2 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Afton, MN and Eagan, MN.
1
Start on CH 18
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Afton Boulevard
2
Continue on CH 18
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
40th Street South
3
Continue on CH 18
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Bailey Road
4
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
124 ft
·
2 sec
·
Bailey Road
5
Continue on CH 18
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Bailey Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
122 ft
·
2 sec
·
Bailey Road
7
Continue on CH 18
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Bailey Road
8
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
146 ft
·
2 sec
·
Bailey Road
9
Continue on CH 18
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Bailey Road
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on CH 18
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Maxwell Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 494 West
12
Continue on Wakota Bridge
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Wakota Bridge
Toward I 494 West
Use the straight lane.
13
Merge onto I 494
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Wakota Bridge
Use the straight lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 70
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Albert Lea, Saint Paul
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35E South: Albert Lea
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 35E
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 97B
Toward CR 28: Yankee Doodle Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn right onto CR 28
510 ft
·
11 sec
·
Yankee Doodle Road
Use the right lane.
20
Turn left onto CR 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Pilot Knob Road
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on CR 31
513 ft
·
9 sec
·
Pilot Knob Road
22
Arrive at destination
CR 31
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 12 and 21.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
12 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the ramp toward I 494 West
Navigation decision point
Toward I 494 West
6
15.3 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 494
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
18.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Albert Lea, Saint Paul
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 70
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Albert Lea, Sa...
7
19.2 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Albert Lea
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E South: Albert Lea
7
21.6 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward CR 28: Yankee Doodle Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 97B
Toward CR 28: Yankee Doodle Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.62 one way
$7.23 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.90 | $7.79 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.34 | $8.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.37 | $10.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.17 |
| Efficient EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.13 | $0.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Eagan, MN
Late night in Eagan on Tuesday
Local time
5:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
36m 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?
This trip features a turn-heavy local personality that keeps you engaged as you navigate through the area. You will spend roughly 22 miles of the journey on highways, including a transit over the Wakota Bridge and a stretch on I-494. The longest uninterrupted section is a 7.2-mile run along Bailey Road, which offers a brief respite from the more technical turns found elsewhere. Transitioning from local roads to the interstate requires you to stay alert to changing traffic patterns. Overall, the drive balances quick highway segments with the winding nature of local navigation, resulting in a varied experience behind the wheel.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.2 mi on Bailey Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 24.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12 miles: Navigation decision point; at 15.3 miles (I 494): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Afton, MN to Eagan, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Saint Paul along the way.
Saint Paul
18.9 mi in
|
~27m
About the Cities
Starting in Afton, MN
Full guide →Afton is a city in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. It lies nearly on the banks of the Saint Croix River, which forms the natural eastern border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Arriving in Eagan, MN
Full guide →Founded 1860
Eagan is a city of 69,000 people (2021) in Minnesota on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River. It is a suburb in the southern part of the Twin Cities region.
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 36m. Total distance: 24.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.2 miles on Bailey Road. 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 Eagan, 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 12 miles: Navigation decision point; at 15.3 miles (I 494): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Eagan, MN before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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