Origin
Laredo, TX
Late night in Laredo on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
97°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Laredo, TX to Medina, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
50.5 mi
81 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laredo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Medina, TX
Mark Direen
Trip Overview
This straightforward 50.5-mile drive from Laredo, TX to Medina, TX takes about 1 hour and 2 minutes. Primarily using United States Highway 83, with segments of US Highway 83 South and South Zapata Highway, it's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The estimated fuel cost is around $8, making it an economical journey. You'll be traversing within the Great Plains region for both your origin and destination. This route offers a practical and efficient way to get from point A to point B without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| United States Highway 83 | 25.7 mi | 28m |
| US Highway 83 South | 14.2 mi | 15m |
| South Zapata Highway | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| North Meadow Avenue | 2 mi | 4m |
| West 13th Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Chihuahua Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Matamoros Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 10th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
United States Highway 83
— 25.7 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Laredo, TX and Medina, TX.
1
Start on Matamoros Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Matamoros Street
2
Continue on US 83
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Chihuahua Street
3
Turn right onto North Meadow Avenue
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
North Meadow Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 83
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
South Zapata Highway
5
Continue on US 83
14 mi
·
15 min
·
US Highway 83 South
6
Continue on US 83
26 mi
·
28 min
·
United States Highway 83
7
Turn left onto TX 16
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West 13th Avenue
8
Turn left onto 10th Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
10th Street
9
Arrive at destination
10th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.2 miles from Laredo, TX, 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
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 50.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
North Meadow Avenue
Turn right onto North Meadow Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
3.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 83 / South Zapata Highway
Turn right onto US 83 / South Zapata Highway
Navigation decision point
4
49 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
TX 16 / West 13th Avenue
Turn left onto TX 16 / West 13th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
50.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
10th Street
Turn left onto 10th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.63 one way
$15.26 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $8.35 | $16.70 |
| premium | $4.54 | $9.02 | $18.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.15 | $22.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.30 | $2.42 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.07 | $3.23 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Medina, TX
Late night in Medina on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
1h 2m 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 largely highway-focused experience on this 50.5-mile route, with 79% of the drive utilizing major highways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 25.7 miles along United States Highway 83. This suggests a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. The road character is likely to remain consistent, focusing on efficient travel rather than varied landscapes or winding paths. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained, high-speed roads.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.7 mi on United States Highway 83.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on United States Highway 83 and US Highway 83 South. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near North Meadow Avenue.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Laredo, TX to Medina, TX is easy. At 1h 2m with 79% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (North Meadow Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (US 83 / South Zapata Highway): Navigation decision point; at 49 miles (TX 16 / West 13th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Laredo, TX
Full guide →“The Gateway City” · Founded 1755
Laredo is a city with 262,000 (2019) inhabitants on the South Texas Plains. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, is just across the Rio Grande.
Top landmarks
- • Cathedral of San Agustin — historic place in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
- • Fort McIntosh — historic district in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
- • San Agustin de Laredo Historic District — historic district in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
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 1h 2m. Total distance: 50.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.7 miles on United States Highway 83. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 1.7 miles (North Meadow Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (US 83 / South Zapata Highway): Navigation decision point; at 49 miles (TX 16 / West 13th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Medina, TX 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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