Origin
Baton Rouge, LA
Morning in Baton Rouge on Sunday
Local time
9:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Baton Rouge, LA to Donaldsonville, LA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
34.1 mi
55 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Donaldsonville, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Baton Rouge to Donaldsonville is 34.1 miles and takes about 46 minutes via Highway 1 South, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Southeast region, specifically in Louisiana. It's a straightforward trip, primarily on highways, making it an easy addition to a larger itinerary or a quick transit. Consider this route if you need to get between these two points efficiently without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 1 | 18.5 mi | 21m |
| Highway 1 South | 11.5 mi | 17m |
| Eden Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Horace Wilkinson Bridge | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West 10th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Saint Ferdinand Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Government Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 1
— 18.5 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Baton Rouge, LA and Donaldsonville, LA.
1
Start on Government Street
300 ft
·
10 sec
·
Government Street
2
Turn right onto Saint Ferdinand Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Saint Ferdinand Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
4
Merge onto I 10
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Horace Wilkinson Bridge
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 153
Toward LA 1 North, LA 1 South: Port Allen, Plaquemine
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Use the slight left lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto LA 1
11 mi
·
17 min
·
Highway 1 South
9
Turn slight right onto LA 1
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Eden Street
10
Continue on LA 1
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Highway 1
11
Continue on LA 1
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 10th Street
12
Arrive at destination
LA 1
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17 miles from Baton Rouge, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 1.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Saint Ferdinand Street
Turn right onto Saint Ferdinand Street
Navigation decision point
3
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
8
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward LA 1 North, LA 1 South: Port Allen, Plaquemine
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 153
Toward LA 1 North, LA 1 South: Port Allen, Plaq...
8
1.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
8
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward LA 1 South: Plaquemine
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.15 one way
$10.30 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $5.65 | $11.31 |
| premium | $4.56 | $6.12 | $12.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.53 | $15.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.77 | $2.18 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Donaldsonville, LA
Morning in Donaldsonville on Sunday
Local time
9:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
23 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
46m 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?
This drive is 88% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on higher-speed roads. The longest stretch on Highway 1 is 18.5 miles, offering a good opportunity for consistent cruising. You'll transition to surface roads, like Eden Street, as you approach your destination. Expect a focus on efficient travel rather than winding country lanes.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.5 mi on Highway 1.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 1 and Highway 1 South. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Saint Ferdinand Street.
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 7 decision points packed into just 34.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Saint Ferdinand Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Baton Rouge, LA
Full guide →Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana, USA. Located on the east bank of the mighty Mississippi River, Baton Rouge is Louisiana's second largest city, home of Louisiana State University, major port facilities, and a variety of attractions.
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 46m. Total distance: 34.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.5 miles on Highway 1. 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 Donaldsonville, LA 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 0.1 miles (Saint Ferdinand Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Donaldsonville, LA 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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