How far is Ruskin, FL from St. Petersburg, FL?

The driving distance from Ruskin, FL to St. Petersburg, FL is about 31.8 miles (51.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 15.5 miles (24.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 13m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
31.73 mi
00h 36m
Flight
15.44 mi
24.85 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ruskin.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
15.44 mi
Kilometers
24.85 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
31.73 mi
Kilometers
51.06 km
Drive Time
00h 36m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in St. Petersburg
Tue, May 12, 6:44 PM EDT
Return by in Ruskin
Tue, May 12, 7:21 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ruskin
2026-05-12T18:07
Arrive St. Petersburg
Tue, May 12, 6:44 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:37 AM to 7:37 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:16 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Ruskin
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Palmetto
FL

City in Manatee County, Florida, United States

From Ruskin
16 mi
00h 18m
To St. Petersburg
15.7 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
90°F
Tuesday

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph NNE
Destination
92°F
Tuesday

Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Ruskin and St. Petersburg.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ruskin and St. Petersburg.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    16 m · 6 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Shell Point Road East

    63 m · 8 sec · Shell Point Road East

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Tamiami Trail

    3.9 mi · 6 min · Tamiami Trail

  4. 4

    Continue on Tamiami Trail

    8.7 mi · 11 min · Tamiami Trail

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right

    2171 ft · 53 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    3 mi · 3 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight left

    1610 ft · 20 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight right onto Sunshine Skyway Bridge

    14.3 mi · 17 min · Sunshine Skyway Bridge

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight left toward 31st Street South

    1604 ft · 39 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Winery, Treasure Island, Tropicana Field

    49 m · 10 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto 31st Street South

    2167 ft · 58 sec · 31st Street South

  12. 12

    Turn left onto 5th Avenue South

    1303 ft · 40 sec · 5th Avenue South

  13. 13

    Turn right onto 34th Street South

    1589 ft · 41 sec · 34th Street South

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 34th Street South

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Ruskin and St. Petersburg.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
14 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
44.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tamiami Trail
16.3 mi · 51%
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
14.3 mi · 45%
31st Street South
0.71 mi · 2%
34th Street South
0.3 mi · 1%
5th Avenue South
0.25 mi · 1%
Shell Point Road East
0.04 mi
Longest Stretch

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Merge slight right onto Sunshine Skyway Bridge

14.3 mi · 00h 17m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 36m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+16.3 mi
15.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Palmetto
00h 18m from Ruskin
Leave By
7:16 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Ruskin and Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near St. Petersburg.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Ruskin to St. Petersburg?

The road trip is about 31.8 miles (51.1 km) and usually takes 00h 36m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Palmetto is a useful midpoint, sitting about 16 miles from Ruskin and 15.7 miles from St. Petersburg.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 15.5 miles (24.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 16.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:16 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.65 one way or $9.29 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Ruskin and Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near St. Petersburg.

Stop Ideas Near Palmetto

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Palmetto, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Palmetto.

BUS

Bradenton, Florida

11 mi away
1115 Manatee Avenue West
BUS

Sarasota, Florida

21 mi away
1993 Main Street
BUS

St Petersburg-Pinellas Park-Clearwater, Florida

37 mi away
5251 110th Avenue North
RAIL

Union Station

49 mi away
601 North Nebraska Ave

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ruskin and St. Petersburg. Straight-line distance: 15.44 mi (24.85 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Ruskin

Census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida

Population17,208
Coordinates27.7208600, -82.4331500
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
St. Petersburg

#2 St. Petersburg

The second most populous city in Florida.

Population253,693
Coordinates27.7708600, -82.6792700
Altitude13
CountryUnited States
Start: (-82.433324, 27.720862)
End: US 19 (-82.679372, 27.77086)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 51 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 03m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 47m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 31m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 23m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.12 gal
4.24 L · about $4.65
Round trip
$9.29
2.24 gal · 8.48 L
Estimated CO2
10 kg one way
Round trip: 19.9 kg / 44 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.15 $4.65 $9.29
Mid-grade $4.60 $5.15 $10.30
Premium $4.90 $5.48 $10.97
Diesel $4.35 $4.87 $9.74

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Florida · May 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Ruskin and St. Petersburg. The current time is 18:07:51.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.