Origin
Excelsior, MN
Late night in Excelsior on Saturday
Local time
12:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Excelsior, MN to Eagan, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
25.6 mi
41 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Excelsior, MN
Tom Fisk
Eagan, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Excelsior to Eagan is 25.6 miles and takes about 37 minutes via MN 5 and Cedar Avenue South, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Minnesota, moving from one part of the Midwest to another. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick hop between towns without requiring extensive planning. You won't need an overnight stay, and the minimal fuel cost makes it an economical option for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 5 | 9.2 mi | 11m |
| West 78th Street | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Cedar Avenue South | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Diffley Road | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Powers Boulevard | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Mill Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Pilot Knob Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MN 5
— 9.2 mi, about 11m
Traffic on I-494
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 21 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,277 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~298 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 34 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Excelsior, MN and Eagan, MN.
1
Start on Water Street
85 ft
·
4 sec
·
Water Street
2
Turn right onto 2nd Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
2nd Street
3
Turn slight right onto CR 82
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mill Street
4
Continue on CR 17
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Powers Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto MN 5
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on MN 5
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
West 78th Street
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit onto MN 5
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
MN 5
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 5
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
MN 5
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 2C
Toward MN 77 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward MN 77 South
12
Merge onto MN 77
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 4
Toward CR 30: Diffley Road
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn left onto CR 30
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Diffley Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Enter roundabout onto CR 30
84 ft
·
1 sec
·
Diffley Road
16
Continue on CR 30
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Diffley Road
17
Turn right onto CR 31
0.1 mi
·
41 sec
·
Pilot Knob Road
18
Continue on CR 31
513 ft
·
9 sec
·
Pilot Knob Road
19
Arrive at destination
CR 31
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 8.9 and 22.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
8.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
MN 5
Take the exit onto MN 5 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
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
8
9.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 5 toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
7
18.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward MN 77 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward MN 77 South
8
18.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
7
22.3 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward CR 30: Diffley Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4
Toward CR 30: Diffley Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.18 one way
$8.36 round trip
$4.15/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $4.50 | $8.99 |
| premium | $4.95 | $4.99 | $9.98 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $6.01 | $12.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
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 Saturday
Local time
12:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°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
37m 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?
About 36% of this drive is on highways, meaning you'll experience some limited-access roads before transitioning to surface streets. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 9.2 miles on MN 5. Expect a mix of driving, with some faster-paced sections on MN 5 followed by more stop-and-go traffic as you navigate through urban areas on West 78th Street and Cedar Avenue South. The latter part of the route will feel more like navigating city streets with more intersections.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.2 mi on MN 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 8.9 miles in near MN 5.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 25.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.9 miles (MN 5): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.1 miles (MN 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Excelsior, MN
Full guide →Founded 1877
Top landmarks
- • Excelsior Amusement Park — located on Lake Minnetonka in the town of Excelsior, Minnesota
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 37m. Total distance: 25.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.2 miles on MN 5. 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 8.9 miles (MN 5): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.1 miles (MN 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.1 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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