Origin
New Iberia, LA
Late night in New Iberia on Friday
Local time
2:44 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Iberia, LA to Opelousas, LA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
43.4 mi
70 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Iberia, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Opelousas, LA
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
New Iberia to Opelousas is 43.4 miles and takes about 57 minutes via Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, Veterans Memorial Expressway, and Southeast Evangeline Thruway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana's Southeast region, offering a straightforward connection between two communities. The drive is mostly on surface roads, making it a relaxed pace for cruising. With only a 57-minute travel time, it's an easy excursion or a simple segment of a larger road trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway | 11.2 mi | 11m |
| Veterans Memorial Expressway | 8.8 mi | 9m |
| Southeast Evangeline Thruway | 6 mi | 9m |
| Old Spanish Trail Highway South | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| Old Spanish Trail | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| Southwest Evangeline Thruway | 2.5 mi | 2m |
| East Main Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| LA 182 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
— 11.2 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Iberia, LA and Opelousas, LA.
1
Start on Julia Street
0.1 mi
·
37 sec
·
Julia Street
2
Turn left onto LA 86; LA 182
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Main Street
3
Continue on LA 182
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Old Spanish Trail
4
Turn straight onto LA 182
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Old Spanish Trail Highway South
5
Continue on LA 182
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
6
Continue on LA 182
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Southwest Frontage Road
7
Take the ramp onto LA 182
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
LA 182
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 182
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest Evangeline Thruway
9
Continue on US 90; LA 182
6.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Southeast Evangeline Thruway
10
Continue on I 49; LA 182
8.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Veterans Memorial Expressway
11
Continue on I 49; US 167
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward US 190 West: Opelousas
13
Merge onto US 190
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 190
14
Turn right onto LA 182
387 ft
·
11 sec
·
South Union Street
15
Turn left onto East Bellevue Street
234 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Bellevue Street
16
Turn left onto LA 182
157 ft
·
2 sec
·
South Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
LA 182
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.7 miles from New Iberia, 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 43.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
LA 86; LA 182 / East Main Street
Turn left onto LA 86; LA 182 / East Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
13.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
US 90; LA 182 / Southwest Evangeline Thruway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 182 / Southwest Evangeline Thruway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
41.9 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward US 190 West: Opelousas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 190 West: Opelousas
4
43.3 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
East Bellevue Street
Turn left onto East Bellevue Street
Navigation decision point
5
43.4 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
LA 182 / South Main Street
Turn left onto LA 182 / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.36 one way
$12.72 round trip
$3.72/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $7.06 | $14.12 |
| premium | $4.49 | $7.67 | $15.33 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $9.57 | $19.13 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.60
Southeast Evangeline Thruway
(6 mi)
$0.42
Southwest Evangeline Thruway
(2.5 mi)
$0.18
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.08 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.80 | $1.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.08 | $2.78 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Opelousas, LA
Late night in Opelousas on Friday
Local time
2:44 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
57m 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 route is primarily surface roads, with 26% of the drive on highways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 11.2 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a consistent flow of exits and intersections as you navigate through populated areas on the Veterans Memorial Expressway and Southeast Evangeline Thruway.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.2 mi on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near LA 86; LA 182 / East Main Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 57m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (LA 86; LA 182 / East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.5 miles (US 90; LA 182 / Southwest Evangeline Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 41.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
69 ft
16 ft
Total Climb
114 ft
Total Descent
63 ft
Highest Point
69 ft
~24.8 mi in
Elevation Range
52 ft
About the Cities
Starting in New Iberia, LA
Full guide →Founded 1779
New Iberia is a city in the Acadiana region of Louisiana.
Top landmarks
- • New Iberia — Train station located at New Iberia, Louisiana
- • Conrad Rice Mill
Arriving in Opelousas, LA
Full guide →Founded 1720
Opelousas is the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, and is one of the former capitals of Louisiana. Opelousas is in the south Louisiana area known as "Acadiana", the center of Cajun culture in Louisiana. Opelousas is also on the far eastern edge of the geographic region known as the "Cajun Prairie." This is due to the extensive prairie lands that extend from northeast of Lake Charles eastward to the edge of Opelousas.
Top landmarks
- • Opelousas Historic District — historic district in Louisiana, United States
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 57m. Total distance: 43.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (26%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.2 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.60 in tolls one way, starting with Southeast Evangeline Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 (LA 86; LA 182 / East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.5 miles (US 90; LA 182 / Southwest Evangeline Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 41.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Opelousas, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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