Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
36.5 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakeville, MN
Wikimedia Commons
North Saint Paul, MN
Tom Fisk
Lakeville to North Saint Paul is 36.5 miles and takes about 48 minutes via I 35E and MN 36, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Given its short duration and highway profile, it’s a straightforward trip for a single day. You'll mostly be on major interstates, making it a quick and efficient way to get from point A to point B.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35E | 23.1 mi | 29m |
| MN 36 | 5 mi | 6m |
| I 35 | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Kenwood Trail | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 7th Avenue East | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 56 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,652 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~234 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Lakeville, MN and North Saint Paul, MN.
Start on 207th Street West
Turn right onto Holyoke Avenue
Enter roundabout onto CR 50
Continue on CR 50
Continue on CR 5
Continue on CR 5
Enter roundabout onto CR 5
Continue on CR 5
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
Merge onto I 35E; I 94
Take the exit onto I 35E
Take the exit
Merge onto MN 36
Turn sharp right onto MN 120
Continue on MN 120
Turn right onto 7th Avenue East
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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.
A short stop after about 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Lakeville, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 30.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 35 North
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto I 35E toward I 35E North, US 10 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MN 36 East: Stillwater
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.14 one way
$12.29 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.75 | $6.82 | $13.64 |
| premium | $5.29 | $7.59 | $15.19 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $8.88 | $17.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Lakeville on Sunday
Local time
9:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Night in North Saint Paul on Sunday
Local time
9:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is primarily highway driving, with 84% of the 36.5 miles on interstates. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 23.1 miles on I 35E. You'll experience mostly highway cruising for the bulk of the trip. Expect to transition to surface roads for the final segment as you approach North Saint Paul.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35E and MN 36. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.
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 15 decision points packed into just 36.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
267 ft
Total Descent
265 ft
Highest Point
1,033 ft
~2.6 mi in
Elevation Range
254 ft
Founded 1850
Founded 1887
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Lakeville, MN or browse trips ending in North Saint Paul, MN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.
