Origin
Tea, SD
Night in Tea on Saturday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tea, SD to Sioux Falls, SD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
12.5 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tea, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Sioux Falls, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 12.5-mile drive from Tea, South Dakota, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is easily manageable in about 18 minutes, making it perfect for a single-day trip. You'll primarily be on I-229 and I-29, with a brief section on East Gateway Boulevard. Given its brevity and focus on major highways, this route is best suited for a quick transit rather than an overnight excursion. The estimated fuel cost is a low $2, reflecting the short distance. Both Tea and Sioux Falls are located within the Great Plains region, so expect expansive, open landscapes throughout your journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 229 | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| East Gateway Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| I 29 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Heritage Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| East 1st Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East 8th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Lowell Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Chicago Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 229
— 6.4 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tea, SD and Sioux Falls, SD.
1
Start on CR 106
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
East 1st Street
2
Turn left onto CR 111
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Heritage Parkway
3
Turn right onto CR 106
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Gateway Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
5
Merge onto I 29
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 29
6
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
7
Continue on I 229
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
I 229
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 6
Toward 10th Street, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
300 ft
·
9 sec
Toward SD 42: Downtown, Washington Pavilion
Use the slight left lane.
10
Turn straight onto I 229 Business; SD 42
527 ft
·
19 sec
·
East 10th Street
11
Turn right onto South Lowell Avenue
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
South Lowell Avenue
12
Turn left onto East 8th Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East 8th Street
13
Turn right onto North Chicago Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
North Chicago Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
North Chicago Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 12.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 111 / North Heritage Parkway
Turn left onto CR 111 / North Heritage Parkway
Navigation decision point
8
11.7 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward 10th Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 6
Toward 10th Street, Downtown
9
11.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward SD 42: Downtown, Washington Pavilion
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward SD 42: Downtown, Washington Pavilion
5
12.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
South Lowell Avenue
Turn right onto South Lowell Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
12.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
North Chicago Avenue
Turn right onto North Chicago Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.95 one way
$3.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.15 | $4.29 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.41 | $4.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.76 | $5.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.31 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Sioux Falls, SD
Night in Sioux Falls on Saturday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°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
1 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
18m 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 experience for 68% of this drive. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.4 miles on I-229. This route is characterized by its efficient, direct nature, primarily utilizing interstates to cover the distance quickly. You'll transition smoothly between these main roadways, maintaining a consistent pace. The drive offers a straightforward transit experience, with minimal deviation from the main thoroughfares.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.4 mi on I 229.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 229 and East Gateway Boulevard. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near CR 111 / North Heritage Parkway.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 12.5 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.5 miles (CR 111 / North Heritage Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Tea, SD to Sioux Falls, SD, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
Downtown
11.7 mi in
|
~16m
About the Cities
Arriving in Sioux Falls, SD
Full guide →Sioux Falls is a city of about 184,000 (2019) in Southeast South Dakota. Founded in 1883 in what was then known as the Dakota Territory, Sioux Falls has grown from a sleepy Midwestern town into a resort for shopping and tourism in the northern Great Plains. It is widely recognized as the largest urban center between Minneapolis and Denver.
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 18m. Total distance: 12.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.4 miles on I 229. 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 Sioux Falls, SD 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through SD can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (CR 111 / North Heritage Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Sioux Falls, SD 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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