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Trip from Delano, MN to Saint Paul, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

52m

Distance

37.8 mi

61 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 49m ★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Minnesota, United States

Delano, MN

Wikimedia Commons

capital of the state of Minnesota, United States; county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota

Saint Paul, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 37.8-mile drive from Delano, MN to Saint Paul, MN takes approximately 44 minutes and is a straightforward trip within the Midwest region. It's perfectly suited for a single day trip, requiring no overnight stays. Expect a fuel cost of around $5 for this journey. The route generally follows local roads, making it a more turn-heavy experience than a highway cruise. This makes it a convenient option for a quick local excursion or connecting two points without a long commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Babcock Boulevard 14.5 mi 18m
I 94 9.3 mi 12m
I 394 8.1 mi 10m
Babcock Boulevard West 3.9 mi 5m
Saint Peter Street 0.5 mi 1m
10th Street West 0.2 mi <1m
Bridge Avenue East 0.1 mi <1m
Kellogg Boulevard West <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Babcock Boulevard — 14.5 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Delano, MN and Saint Paul, MN.

1

Start on Bridge Avenue East

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Bridge Avenue East
2

Turn left onto US 12

3.9 mi · 5 min · Babcock Boulevard West
3

Enter roundabout onto US 12

140 ft · 1 sec · Babcock Boulevard
4

Continue on US 12

2.1 mi · 2 min · Babcock Boulevard
5

Enter roundabout onto US 12

140 ft · 1 sec · Babcock Boulevard
6

Continue on US 12

12 mi · 15 min · Babcock Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7

Merge onto I 394

8.1 mi · 10 min · I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 9 sec
Exit 8B Toward I 94 East, I 94 West Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Exit 8B Toward I 94 East Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto I 94; MN 55

9.3 mi · 12 min · I 94; MN 55
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 43 sec
Exit 241B Toward 10th Street, 5th Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward 10th Street
13

Continue on 10th Street West

0.2 mi · 34 sec · 10th Street West
14

Turn right onto Saint Peter Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Saint Peter Street
15

At end of road, turn left onto Kellogg Boulevard West

394 ft · 21 sec · Kellogg Boulevard West
Use the left / right lanes.
16

Turn left onto Wabasha Street North

214 ft · 9 sec · Wabasha Street North
Use the left lane.
17

Arrive at destination

Wabasha Street North

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an ordered lattice extending in all three spatial dimensions

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Crystal, MN

19 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.

Popular next leg

Crystal, MN to Saint Paul, MN

18.8 mi · 28m

Pacing Suggestions

West Saint Paul, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 37.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Minnetonka Mills, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.9 miles from Delano, 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 26.6 and 37.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
26.6 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward I 94 East, I 94 West

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 8B Toward I 94 East, I 94 West
8
26.7 mi into trip | ~35m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 8B Toward I 94 East
8
36.4 mi into trip | ~48m in

Take the exit toward 10th Street, 5th Street

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 241B Toward 10th Street, 5th Street
6
37.7 mi into trip | ~52m in | Kellogg Boulevard West

At end of road, turn left onto Kellogg Boulevard West

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes.
7
37.7 mi into trip | ~52m in | Wabasha Street North

Turn left onto Wabasha Street North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.63 one way

$11.25 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $6.06 $12.12
premium $4.53 $6.74 $13.49
diesel $5.61 $8.35 $16.69

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.3 0 $3.97 $1.81
Efficient EV 9.5 0 $3.31 $1.51
EV Truck/SUV 15.1 0 $5.29 $2.42

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Delano, MN

Late night in Delano on Tuesday

Local time

5:44 AM

CDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Saint Paul, MN

Late night in Saint Paul on Tuesday

Local time

5:44 AM

CDT

Current temp

59°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

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

52m 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?

You'll find this drive has a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning it's not a high-speed interstate cruise. With 0% highway share, expect to navigate through local streets and boulevards for the entire 37.8 miles. There isn't a 'longest stretch' mentioned, suggesting frequent intersections and changes in direction. This road personality means you'll be more engaged with the driving, paying attention to turns and local traffic patterns rather than covering long distances at high speed.

46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.5 mi on Babcock Boulevard.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

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 around 26.6 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 13 decision points packed into just 37.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 26.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 37.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

52m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 14.5 miles on Babcock Boulevard. 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 Paul, 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 26.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.4 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 Saint Paul, 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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