Origin
Opelousas, LA
Late night in Opelousas on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Opelousas, LA to Lafayette, LA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
23.3 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Opelousas, LA
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Opelousas to Lafayette, you are in for a quick 23.4-mile journey that typically takes about 25 minutes. This short transit across Southeast Louisiana is perfect for a single-day trip, as you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You can expect to spend roughly $3 on fuel for the entire distance, making it an incredibly economical commute. Because the trip is so brief, it serves well as a simple connection between these two cities rather than a sprawling expedition. You will primarily utilize East Vine Street, I-49 South, and Charles I to complete the drive. Keep in mind that this is a straightforward local connection, ideal for those who prefer efficiency over a long day behind the wheel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway | 10.8 mi | 11m |
| Veterans Memorial Expressway | 8.8 mi | 9m |
| Northwest Evangeline Thruway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| East Vine Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Rue Jefferson | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Rue Vermilion Ouest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
— 10.8 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Opelousas, LA and Lafayette, LA.
1
Start on LA 182
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
South Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 190
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Vine Street
3
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 49 South, US 167 South: Lafayette
4
Merge onto I 49; US 167
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
5
Continue on I 49; US 167
8.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Veterans Memorial Expressway
6
Continue on I 49; LA 182
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Northwest Evangeline Thruway
7
Turn right onto Jefferson Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Jefferson Boulevard
8
Continue on Rue Jefferson
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Rue Jefferson
9
Turn right onto Rue Vermilion Ouest
335 ft
·
16 sec
·
Rue Vermilion Ouest
10
Arrive at destination
Rue Vermilion Ouest
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 23.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 190 / East Vine Street
Turn left onto US 190 / East Vine Street
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward I 49 South, US 167 South: Lafayette
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 49 South, US 167 South: Lafayette
3
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 49; US 167 / Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
Merge onto I 49; US 167 / Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
22.7 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Jefferson Boulevard
Turn right onto Jefferson Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
23.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Rue Vermilion Ouest
Turn right onto Rue Vermilion Ouest
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.52 one way
$7.04 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $3.86 | $7.73 |
| premium | $4.56 | $4.18 | $8.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.14 | $10.29 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.13
Northwest Evangeline Thruway
(1.9 mi)
$0.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$0
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.04 | $0.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Lafayette, LA
Late night in Lafayette on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°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
19 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
28m 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 turn-heavy local drive that feels much more personal than a standard interstate grind. While you will utilize I-49 South, the route maintains a 0% highway share, emphasizing the local nature of these roads. You will find that there is no extended highway cruising here, with the longest uninterrupted stretch being zero miles on East Vine Street. Navigating this path requires your full attention as you transition between local streets and the main arterial roads. It is a technical, short-distance experience that keeps you engaged with the surrounding infrastructure rather than letting you zone out on a long, monotonous stretch of pavement.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.8 mi on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 190 / East Vine 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 28m drive. You will face about 5 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 (US 190 / East Vine Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles (I 49; US 167 / Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
68 ft
37 ft
Total Climb
11 ft
Total Descent
42 ft
Highest Point
68 ft
Elevation Range
31 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 23.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.8 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.13 in tolls one way, starting with Northwest 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. 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 (US 190 / East Vine Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles (I 49; US 167 / Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lafayette, 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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