Origin
Chanhassen, MN
Late night in Chanhassen on Sunday
Local time
5:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chanhassen, MN to Plymouth, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
13.7 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 19m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chanhassen, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick commute or a short excursion within the Minnesota Midwest, the trip from Chanhassen to Plymouth is an incredibly efficient choice. Spanning just 13.7 miles, this route typically takes about 20 minutes to complete, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. You will not need to worry about lodging or overnight planning, as the drive is easily manageable in one go. With an estimated fuel cost of only $2, it is a very budget-friendly way to navigate between these two communities. This trip serves as a straightforward connection across the region rather than a long-haul adventure, offering a practical solution for your transit needs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| Minnesota State Highway 7 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Chanhassen Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| County Road 101 | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| MN 55 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West 78th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| CR 101 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 5.7 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chanhassen, MN and Plymouth, MN.
1
Start on West 78th Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
West 78th Street
2
Turn left onto MN 101
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Chanhassen Road
3
Continue on CR 101
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
CR 101
4
Turn left onto CR 101
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road 101
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn right onto MN 7
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Minnesota State Highway 7
6
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Minnesota State Highway 7
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 494 North
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 494
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 22
Toward MN 55
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto MN 55
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
MN 55
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on MN 55
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
MN 55
12
Arrive at destination
MN 55
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 13.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CR 101 / County Road 101
Turn left onto CR 101 / County Road 101
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
6.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
6.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 494 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 North
7
12.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward MN 55
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22
Toward MN 55
7
13.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
MN 55
Turn right onto MN 55
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.04 one way
$4.08 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.20 | $4.39 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.44 | $4.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.02 | $6.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Plymouth, MN
Late night in Plymouth on Sunday
Local time
5:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Patchy Fog then Mostly Cloudy
WNW 5 to 10 mph
12% chance
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
4 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
20m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as this route relies on major arteries like I-494, Minnesota State Highway 7, and Chanhassen Road. With roughly 66% of the trip spent on highways, you will get up to speed quickly once you leave local streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during a 5.7-mile segment on I-494, which defines the core of your time behind the wheel. The transition from local roads to a faster, interstate-heavy flow gives the drive a functional, utilitarian personality. You will spend most of your time focused on steady highway traffic as you transition between these two Minnesota locations.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and Minnesota State Highway 7. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near CR 101 / County Road 101.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 13.7 miles you will encounter 7 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 2.5 miles (CR 101 / County Road 101): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Plymouth, MN
Full guide →Plymouth is a city located in the heart of Minnesota. This city is a place that has a good solid community and friendly people. Plymouth has a lot to offer both its residents and its travelers. They are known for having affordable housing, low crime rates and most importantly an active outdoor culture. Plymouth was also Money Magazine's best place to live in 2008. If Plymouth was ranked as the number one place to live, it must be a really great place to travel to as well.
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 20m. Total distance: 13.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.7 miles on I 494. 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 Plymouth, 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 2.5 miles (CR 101 / County Road 101): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Plymouth, 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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