Origin
Waconia, MN
Afternoon in Waconia on Sunday
Local time
3:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waconia, MN to Plymouth, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
26.2 mi
42 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waconia, MN
Tom Fisk
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Waconia, MN to Plymouth, MN is 26.2 miles and takes about 38 minutes via Minnesota State Highway 7 and I 494, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Minnesota, connecting two Midwest communities. The route is primarily highway-focused, making it a straightforward trip for those needing to get from point A to point B efficiently. With just a single day recommended, this is an easy excursion for a quick errand, visit, or transfer between locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota State Highway 7 | 6.9 mi | 9m |
| I 494 | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| Arboretum Boulevard | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| State Highway 5 | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Hazeltine Boulevard | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Main Street East | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| MN 55 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Minnesota State Highway 7
— 6.9 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waconia, MN and Plymouth, MN.
1
Start on this road
50 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
215 ft
·
17 sec
3
Turn right onto North Elm Street
205 ft
·
14 sec
·
North Elm Street
4
Turn left onto CR 59
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street East
5
Turn left onto MN 5
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 5
6
Continue on MN 5
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Arboretum Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on MN 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto MN 41
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Hazeltine Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto MN 7
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Minnesota State Highway 7
10
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Minnesota State Highway 7
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 494 North
Use the right lane.
12
Merge onto I 494
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 22
Toward MN 55
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn right onto MN 55
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
MN 55
Use the right lane.
15
Continue on MN 55
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
MN 55
16
Arrive at destination
MN 55
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 10.3 and 25.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
10.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
MN 41 / Hazeltine Boulevard
Turn left onto MN 41 / Hazeltine Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
18.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward I 494 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 North
7
25.3 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward MN 55
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22
Toward MN 55
7
25.7 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
MN 55
Turn right onto MN 55
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.90 one way
$7.80 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.20 | $8.40 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.67 | $9.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.78 | $11.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.75 | $1.26 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.29 | $1.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.67 | $1.68 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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
Plymouth, MN
Afternoon in Plymouth on Sunday
Local time
3:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
30°F
Partly Cloudy
NW 10 to 15 mph
6% chance
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
15 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
38m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 61% of the journey on faster roads. You'll experience stretches of open highway, including a longest continuous segment of 6.9 miles on Minnesota State Highway 7. The route transitions between state highways and interstate driving, offering a consistent pace for most of the trip. Expect a practical driving experience rather than a scenic tour, as the focus is on efficient travel.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.9 mi on Minnesota State Highway 7.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Minnesota State Highway 7 and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.3 miles in near MN 41 / Hazeltine Boulevard.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 26.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 10.3 miles (MN 41 / Hazeltine Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.8 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Plymouth, MN
Full guide →Plymouth is a city located in the heart of Minnesota. This city is a place that has a good solid community and friendly people. Plymouth has a lot to offer both its residents and its travelers. They are known for having affordable housing, low crime rates and most importantly an active outdoor culture. Plymouth was also Money Magazine's best place to live in 2008. If Plymouth was ranked as the number one place to live, it must be a really great place to travel to as well.
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 38m. Total distance: 26.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.9 miles on Minnesota State Highway 7. 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 Plymouth, 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 10.3 miles (MN 41 / Hazeltine Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.8 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Plymouth, 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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