Origin
Montrose, MN
Late night in Montrose on Tuesday
Local time
3:12 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montrose, MN to Saint Paul, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
44.4 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montrose, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Paul, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Montrose to Saint Paul is 44.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 2 minutes via Babcock Boulevard and I-94, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Minnesota, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a relatively short trip that connects two points within the state, offering a straightforward transit between them. Most of the drive utilizes highway infrastructure, making it a functional route for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Babcock Boulevard | 14.5 mi | 18m |
| I 94 | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| I 394 | 8.1 mi | 10m |
| US 12 | 6 mi | 8m |
| Babcock Boulevard West | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Nelson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Saint Peter Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 60th Street Southeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Babcock Boulevard
— 14.5 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montrose, MN and Saint Paul, MN.
1
Start on CR 12
23 ft
·
7 sec
·
Buffalo Avenue South
2
Turn left onto US 12; MN 25
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
3
Continue on US 12; MN 25
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 12; MN 25
4
Continue on US 12
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
60th Street Southeast
5
Continue on US 12
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
US 12
6
Continue on US 12
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Babcock Boulevard West
7
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
8
Continue on US 12
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
9
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
10
Continue on US 12
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Merge onto I 394
8.1 mi
·
10 min
·
I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
Exit 8B
Toward I 94 East, I 94 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 8B
Toward I 94 East
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 94; MN 55
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
I 94; MN 55
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 241B
Toward 10th Street, 5th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward 10th Street
17
Continue on 10th Street West
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
10th Street West
18
Turn right onto Saint Peter Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Saint Peter Street
19
At end of road, turn left onto Kellogg Boulevard West
394 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kellogg Boulevard West
Use the left / right lanes.
20
Turn left onto Wabasha Street North
214 ft
·
9 sec
·
Wabasha Street North
Use the left lane.
21
Arrive at destination
Wabasha Street North
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.2 miles from Montrose, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 33.2 and 44.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
33.2 mi into trip
|
~44m 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
33.3 mi into trip
|
~44m 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
43 mi into trip
|
~57m 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
6
44.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
Kellogg Boulevard West
At end of road, turn left onto Kellogg Boulevard West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
7
44.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
Wabasha Street North
Turn left onto Wabasha Street North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.61 one way
$13.22 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $7.12 | $14.24 |
| premium | $4.53 | $7.92 | $15.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.80 | $19.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.66 | $2.13 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.22 | $2.84 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Saint Paul, MN
Late night in Saint Paul on Tuesday
Local time
3:12 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
1h 2m 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 route is a mixed highway and surface road experience, with 53% of it on high-speed roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 14.5 miles on Babcock Boulevard before transitioning to interstate driving. Expect to see a high number of exits and merges as you approach and enter the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The latter portion of the drive will involve more urban driving conditions.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.5 mi on Babcock Boulevard.
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 33.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.4 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 33.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 44.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.5 miles on Babcock Boulevard. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 33.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43 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 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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