Origin
Lake Elmo, MN
Morning in Lake Elmo on Sunday
Local time
9:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Elmo, MN to Burnsville, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
31.8 mi
51 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Elmo, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Burnsville, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Lake Elmo to Burnsville, you are in for a quick 31.1-mile journey across the Minnesota landscape. Expect to spend about 35 minutes behind the wheel, making this a straightforward drive that is easily managed in a single day. You will navigate using Stillwater Boulevard North, 34th Street North, and I-694 South to reach your destination. With a fuel budget of just $4, it is a very economical trip that does not require an overnight stop. This route stays entirely within the Midwest, providing a familiar transition between these two Minnesota communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 12.2 mi | 15m |
| I 35E | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| I 694 | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Stillwater Boulevard North | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| 34th Street North | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| East 134th Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Lake Elmo Avenue North | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Nicollet Avenue South | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 12.2 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Elmo, MN and Burnsville, MN.
1
Start on CH 17
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Elmo Avenue North
2
At end of road, turn left onto CH 14; CH 17
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Stillwater Boulevard North
3
Enter roundabout onto CH 14
146 ft
·
3 sec
·
34th Street North
4
Continue on CH 14
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
34th Street North
5
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 694 South
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 694
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 494
8.5 mi
·
10 min
·
I 494
Use the straight lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 70
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Albert Lea, Saint Paul
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35E South: Albert Lea
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 35E
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 90
Toward CR 11
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
254 ft
·
7 sec
14
Turn straight onto CR 11
371 ft
·
15 sec
·
CR 11
15
Turn left onto East 134th Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
East 134th Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Nicollet Avenue South
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Nicollet Avenue South
17
Arrive at destination
Nicollet Avenue South
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 29.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Turn left toward I 694 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 694 South
6
16.4 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
I 494
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Albert Lea, Saint Paul
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 70
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Albert Lea, Sa...
7
20.3 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Albert Lea
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E South: Albert Lea
7
29.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward CR 11
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 90
Toward CR 11
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.73 one way
$9.46 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $5.10 | $10.20 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.67 | $11.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.02 | $14.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.34 | $1.53 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.78 | $1.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.45 | $2.04 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Burnsville, MN
Morning in Burnsville on Sunday
Local time
9:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°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
18 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
44m 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?
This 31.1-mile trip is best described as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul. Because the highway share is 0%, you should prepare for a series of local road transitions rather than long, uninterrupted stretches of freeway. You will spend your time navigating through local streets, which gives the drive a more intimate feel than a typical highway commute. Because there are no stops required, the pace remains consistent from start to finish. Keep your eyes on the road as you maneuver through the turns that define this path between Lake Elmo and Burnsville.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.2 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and I 35E. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.
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 12 decision points packed into just 31.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles (I 494): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Lake Elmo, MN and Burnsville, MN, road signs point toward Saint Paul and Cr 11.
Saint Paul
20.1 mi in
|
~27m
Cr 11
29.5 mi in
|
~38m
About the Cities
Arriving in Burnsville, MN
Full guide →Burnsville is a city in Minnesota.
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 44m. Total distance: 31.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.2 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 Burnsville, 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 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles (I 494): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 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 Burnsville, 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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