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Trip from Minnetonka, 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

37m

Distance

24.1 mi

39 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

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

city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States

Minnetonka, 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 straightforward drive from Minnetonka to Saint Paul, Minnesota, covers just 24.1 miles and is estimated to take about 37 minutes. With 85% of the route on highways, it's an efficient journey that's perfect for a single day trip. You can expect a fuel cost of around $4 for this short hop within the Midwest region. The primary roads you'll be using are I-94, Minnesota State Highway 7, and I-394, making it a convenient commute or short excursion. This trip is ideal for those looking for a quick, no-fuss transit between two points in Minnesota.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 94 9.3 mi 12m
Minnesota State Highway 7 8.1 mi 11m
I 394 1.8 mi 2m
MN 100 1.3 mi 1m
Saint Peter Street 0.5 mi 1m
County Road 101 0.4 mi <1m
10th Street West 0.2 mi <1m
Kellogg Boulevard West <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 94 — 9.3 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on CR 101

0.2 mi · 25 sec · County Road 101
2

Continue on CR 101

0.2 mi · 33 sec · County Road 101
Use the left lane.
3

Turn right onto MN 7

2.1 mi · 2 min · Minnesota State Highway 7
4

Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7

6.0 mi · 9 min · Minnesota State Highway 7
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward MN 100 North Use the right lane.
6

Merge onto MN 100

1.3 mi · 1 min · MN 100
Toward CR 5 Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

1.1 mi · 1 min
Toward I 394 East: Minneapolis Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Merge onto I 394

1.8 mi · 2 min · I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 9 sec
Exit 8B Toward I 94 East, I 94 West Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Exit 8B Toward I 94 East Use the slight right lane.
11

Merge onto I 94; MN 55

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

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 43 sec
Exit 241B Toward 10th Street, 5th Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward 10th Street
14

Continue on 10th Street West

0.2 mi · 34 sec · 10th Street West
15

Turn right onto Saint Peter Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Saint Peter Street
16

At end of road, turn left onto Kellogg Boulevard West

394 ft · 21 sec · Kellogg Boulevard West
Use the left / right lanes.
17

Turn left onto Wabasha Street North

214 ft · 9 sec · Wabasha Street North
Use the left lane.
18

Arrive at destination

Wabasha Street North

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 24 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
2.4 mi into trip | ~3m in | MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7

Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
12.8 mi into trip | ~19m 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
13 mi into trip | ~19m 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
22.7 mi into trip | ~32m 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
7
24 mi into trip | ~37m in | Wabasha Street North

Turn left onto Wabasha Street North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.59 one way

$7.17 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $3.86 $7.73
premium $4.53 $4.30 $8.60
diesel $5.61 $5.32 $10.64

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.2 0 $2.53 $1.16
Efficient EV 6 0 $2.11 $0.96
EV Truck/SUV 9.6 0 $3.37 $1.54

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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

Minnetonka, MN

Late night in Minnetonka on Tuesday

Local time

4:02 AM

CDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Saint Paul, MN

Late night in Saint Paul on Tuesday

Local time

4:02 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

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?

Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this trip, with 85% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a significant portion on I-94, including a longest stretch of 9.3 miles without needing to exit. The route is designed for steady progress, largely following the character of interstate travel. While primarily highway, you'll also navigate sections of Minnesota State Highway 7 and I-394, which maintain a similar efficient pace. This drive prioritizes getting you to your destination quickly and directly.

85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on I 94.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and Minnesota State Highway 7. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7.

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 15 decision points packed into just 24.1 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 2.4 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

On the drive from Minnetonka, MN to Saint Paul, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 5 along the way.

Cr 5

8.6 mi in | ~13m | via MN 100

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 24.1 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 (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on I 94. 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 2.4 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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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