Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
22 mi
35 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salem, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Saint Paul, OR
RalfGeorg Feltes
Salem to Saint Paul is 22 miles and takes about 35m via River Road Northeast/North and I 5, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, easy drive connects two points within Oregon's Pacific Coast region. Expect a mixed drive that's mostly local roads with a brief interstate segment. It’s a straightforward trip, perfect for a quick afternoon excursion or a convenient way to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| River Road Northeast | 7.5 mi | 11m |
| River Road North | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| I 5 | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Liberty Street Northeast | 1.5 mi | 4m |
| Brooklake Road Northeast | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Commercial Street Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Salem, OR and Saint Paul, OR.
Start on High Street Northeast
Turn right onto Chemeketa Street Northeast
Turn right onto Liberty Street Northeast
Turn left onto Division Street Northeast
Turn right onto OR 99E Bus
Continue on OR 99E Bus
Turn right onto OR 99E Bus
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Take the exit onto I 5
Turn left onto Brooklake Road Northeast
Turn right onto CR 36
Continue on CR 36
Continue on CR 36
Turn left onto Church Avenue
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Chemeketa Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Liberty Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto OR 99E Bus / Commercial Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto OR 99E Bus / Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 toward I 5 North: Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$4.38 one way
$8.77 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $4.64 | $9.28 |
| premium | $5.59 | $4.84 | $9.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.86 | $9.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
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
Late night in Salem on Tuesday
Local time
2:14 AM
PDT
Current temp
40°F
Partly Cloudy
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 10:00PM MDT until April 18 at 10:00AM MDT by NWS Boise ID
Destination
Late night in Saint Paul on Tuesday
Local time
2:14 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
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 22-mile route offers a mixed drive experience, with about 30% of it on the interstate. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch of 7.5 miles on River Road Northeast, which likely means navigating local traffic and varying road conditions. As you transition to River Road North and eventually I 5, the pace will pick up, offering a contrast to the more rural feel of the initial part of your journey. The drive is short enough that you won't feel stuck on any single type of road for too long.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Chemeketa Street Northeast.
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 22 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: at 0.1 miles (Chemeketa Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Liberty Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (OR 99E Bus / Commercial Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Salem, OR and Saint Paul, OR, road signs point toward Brooks and Gervais.
Brooks
Gervais
Salem, the capital of Oregon, is located in the Willamette Valley between Portland and Eugene. It is also the county seat of Marion County. Salem was established in the early 1800s as a farming community. The town grew during the years of the California gold rush. Salem became the capital of Oregon in 1851 after it was moved from Oregon City. The capital was then briefly moved to Corvallis in 1855, but in that same year was permanently moved back to Salem. The first two Oregon State Capitol buildings tragically burned down. The third and current building was completed in 1938, complete with its distinctive gold-plated pioneer statue, the "Gold Man," perched atop. Besides being the seat of state government, Salem is also a major agricultural center in one of the most fertile regions in the world.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 22 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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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