Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
21.9 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Paul, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Empire, MN
Tom Fisk
The drive from Saint Paul, MN to Empire, MN covers 21.9 miles and takes about 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Lafayette Freeway, US 52, Robert Street North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12 miles on Lafayette Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Freeway | 12 mi | 14m |
| US 52 | 7.7 mi | 8m |
| Robert Street North | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 200th Street East | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Lafayette Frontage Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Plato Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kellogg Boulevard East | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street East | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Paul, MN and Empire, MN.
Start on Wabasha Street North
Turn right onto 4th Street East
Turn right onto Cedar Street
Turn left onto Kellogg Boulevard East
Turn right onto MN 3
Turn left onto CH 40
Turn right onto West Lafayette Frontage Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 52
Keep slight right at fork onto US 52
Take the exit
Turn right onto CR 66
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 21.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto 4th Street East
Navigation decision point
Merge onto US 52 / Lafayette Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto US 52 toward Rochester
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 66 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto CR 66 / 200th Street East
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$3.47 one way
$6.94 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $3.69 | $7.39 |
| premium | $4.85 | $4.18 | $8.36 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $4.83 | $9.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.30 | $1.05 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Saint Paul on Friday
Local time
12:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Empire on Friday
Local time
12:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Partly 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.
21.9 mi in 29m, mostly highway — 12 mi of that is on Lafayette Freeway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Lafayette Freeway and US 52. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 4th Street East.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 21.9 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (4th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (US 52 / Lafayette Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.8 miles (US 52): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
301 ft
Total Descent
233 ft
Highest Point
937 ft
~4.7 mi in
Elevation Range
235 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Saint Paul, MN to Empire, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Rochester along the way.
Rochester
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 21.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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