Origin
Eden Prairie, MN
Late night in Eden Prairie on Sunday
Local time
4:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eden Prairie, MN to Minneapolis, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
17.8 mi
29 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eden Prairie, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 17.8-mile drive from Eden Prairie to Minneapolis, MN, will take about 26 minutes, making it a perfect one-day trip. You'll primarily use I-35W and US 212, with a portion on the Crosstown Highway. With a projected fuel cost of around $3, this is a very budget-friendly excursion. The mixed drive profile means you'll experience a bit of everything as you travel within the Midwest region. Given the short distance and duration, there's no need to split this into multiple days; you can easily complete it in one go.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35W | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| Crosstown Highway | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| US 212 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| MN 65 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 5th Avenue South | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Scenic Heights Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Mitchell Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35W
— 5.4 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eden Prairie, MN and Minneapolis, MN.
1
Start on Scenic Heights Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Scenic Heights Road
2
Turn left onto Mitchell Road
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Mitchell Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 212 East, MN 5 East
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
US 212; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on MN 62
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Crosstown Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 112A
Toward I 35W North
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
7
Merge onto I 35W
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 65
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
MN 65
Toward I 94 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 65
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
MN 65
Toward 5th Avenue South
10
Continue on 5th Avenue South
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
5th Avenue South
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Turn left onto CR 152
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Washington Avenue South
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 16.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 212 East, MN 5 East
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward US 212 East, MN 5 East
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 212; MN 5
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
10.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward I 35W North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 112A
Toward I 35W North
5
10.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 35W
Merge onto I 35W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
16.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
MN 65
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 65 toward I 94 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.65 one way
$5.30 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.85 | $5.71 |
| premium | $4.53 | $3.18 | $6.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.93 | $7.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.87 | $0.85 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.56 | $0.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Minneapolis, MN
Late night in Minneapolis on Sunday
Local time
4:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
20 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
26m 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?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with about 60% of it being on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.4 miles on I-35W. This section will likely feel like a typical interstate experience, allowing for consistent speeds. As you transition to the Crosstown Highway and US 212, the character might shift slightly, offering a different driving feel before you reach your Minneapolis destination. It's a blend of efficient highway travel and potentially some more varied road conditions.
60% 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: 5.4 mi on I 35W.
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 0.9 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 8 decision points packed into just 17.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles (US 212; MN 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Eden Prairie, MN to Minneapolis, MN, road signs begin pointing toward 5Th Avenue South along the way.
5Th Avenue South
16.7 mi in
|
~22m
|
via MN 65
About the Cities
Arriving in Minneapolis, MN
Full guide →Minneapolis is a city of about 430,000 people (2019) and the largest city in Minnesota. Along with neighboring Saint Paul, it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolitan area in the Midwest after Chicago and Detroit.
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 26m. Total distance: 17.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.4 miles on I 35W. 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 Minneapolis, 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 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles (US 212; MN 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 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 Minneapolis, 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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