Origin
Saint Paul, MN
Evening in Saint Paul on Wednesday
Local time
6:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Paul, MN to Chaska, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
31.7 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 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Paul, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Chaska, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Saint Paul, MN to Chaska, MN covers 31.7 miles and takes about 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 5, US 212, Shepard Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.2 miles on MN 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.02 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 5 | 15.2 mi | 19m |
| US 212 | 7.9 mi | 9m |
| Shepard Road | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| North Chestnut Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| I 494 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Exchange Street South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Eagle Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street West | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MN 5
— 15.2 mi, about 19m
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 Saint Paul, MN and Chaska, MN.
1
Start on Wabasha Street North
198 ft
·
14 sec
·
Wabasha Street North
2
Turn left onto 4th Street West
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
4th Street West
3
Turn left onto Market Street
264 ft
·
12 sec
·
Market Street
4
Turn right onto Kellogg Boulevard West
261 ft
·
8 sec
·
Kellogg Boulevard West
5
Turn slight left onto Exchange Street South
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Exchange Street South
6
Turn left onto Eagle Parkway
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Eagle Parkway
7
Turn right onto CH 37
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Shepard Road
Use the right lane.
8
Continue on South Mississippi River Boulevard
266 ft
·
7 sec
·
South Mississippi River Boulevard
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward MN 5 West
10
Merge onto MN 5
13 mi
·
16 min
·
MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 494; MN 5
12
Take the exit onto MN 5
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
MN 5
Exit 11C
Toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 212
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
US 212
Use the slight left lane.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward MN 41: Chestnut Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn left onto MN 41
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Chestnut Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Enter roundabout onto MN 41
160 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Chestnut Street
17
Continue on MN 41
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Chestnut Street
18
Turn right onto CR 61
53 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 6th Street
Use the right lane.
19
Arrive at destination
CR 61
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
4th Street West
Turn left onto 4th Street West
Navigation decision point
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CH 37 / Shepard Road
Turn right onto CH 37 / Shepard Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
19.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
MN 5
Take the exit onto MN 5 toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 11C
Toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
6
21.6 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
US 212
Keep slight left at fork onto US 212
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
29.5 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward MN 41: Chestnut Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MN 41: Chestnut Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.02 one way
$10.04 round trip
$4.02/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $5.35 | $10.69 |
| premium | $4.85 | $6.05 | $12.10 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $6.99 | $13.98 |
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, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
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
Chaska, MN
Evening in Chaska on Wednesday
Local time
6:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°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 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?
31.7 mi in 44m, mostly highway — 15.2 mi of that is on MN 5.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.2 mi on MN 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 5 and US 212. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 4th Street West.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 14 decision points packed into just 31.7 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: near the start (4th Street West): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (CH 37 / Shepard Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles (MN 5): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
902 ft
731 ft
Total Climb
188 ft
Total Descent
246 ft
Highest Point
902 ft
~24.9 mi in
Elevation Range
171 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Saint Paul, MN
Full guide →Founded 1854
Saint Paul (or St. Paul) is the capital city and the second largest city of the US state of Minnesota. Along with the slightly larger Minneapolis it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolis in the Midwest.
Top landmarks
- • Minnesota State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Minnesota
- • Cathedral of Saint Paul, National Shrine of the Apostle Paul — cathedral in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
- • Saint Paul Union Depot — train station in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Arriving in Chaska, MN
Full guide →Founded 1891
The Twin Cities of Minnesota constitute the political, cultural, and economic capital of the Upper Midwest, and along with the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit metropolitan areas, the core of the North Coast region of the United States. The name "Twin Cities" comes from the region's two core cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, which border each other, share many of the same political, educational, and cultural institutions - and are thus considered to be "twins". There are multiple "tiers" or "rings" of suburbs extending out from these core cities, some reaching as far as Wisconsin.
Top landmarks
- • Walnut Street Historic District — historic district in Chaska, Minnesota
- • Frederick E. DuToit House — historic house in Chaska, Minnesota, United States
- • Herald Block — historic building in Chaska, Minnesota, United States
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: 31.7 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 15.2 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 Chaska, 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: near the start (4th Street West): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (CH 37 / Shepard Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles (MN 5): 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 Chaska, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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