Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
28.4 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Afton, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Bloomington, MN to Afton, MN is 28.4 miles and takes about 39m via I 494, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Minnesota, making it a convenient local excursion. The drive is a mixed bag, offering a brief taste of interstate travel followed by local road navigation. It's the perfect length for a quick getaway, whether you're looking to explore a new area or simply break up your routine. Consider this route for a straightforward journey with minimal time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 14.4 mi | 18m |
| Bailey Road | 7.2 mi | 10m |
| 40th Street South | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Afton Boulevard | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| I 35W | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Maxwell Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Wakota Bridge | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 90th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, MN and Afton, MN.
Start on West 90th Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35W
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
Take the exit onto Wakota Bridge
Turn left onto CH 38
Continue on CH 18
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
Continue on CH 18
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
Continue on CH 18
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
Continue on CH 18
Continue on CH 18
Continue on CH 18
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 16.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 35W North
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Take the exit toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit onto Wakota Bridge toward CH 38: Maxwell Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto CH 38 / Maxwell Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$4.23 one way
$8.45 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.55 | $9.11 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.07 | $10.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.27 | $12.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Late night in Bloomington on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Afton on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°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.
This route offers a mixed driving experience, with 54% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a 14.4-mile stretch on I 494, which provides a taste of faster, more direct travel. Following that, the drive transitions to local roads like Bailey Road and 40th Street South, requiring a shift in pace and attention. Expect a blend of interstate cruising and suburban street driving as you make your way toward Afton. The character of the drive changes as you move from the efficiency of the interstate to the more nuanced navigation of local thoroughfares.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 28.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Founded 1843
Bloomington, Minnesota is a suburb of Minneapolis. It is near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP IATA) and home to the Mall of America, the United States' largest shopping mall. Bloomington has a population of 89,000 people (as of 2021). Bloomington was established as a post–World War II housing boom suburb connected to Minneapolis's urban street grid, and is served by two major freeways: Interstate 35W and Interstate 494.
Top landmarks
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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 28.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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