Origin
Rio Bravo, TX
Late night in Rio Bravo on Sunday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rio Bravo, TX to Laredo, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
13.5 mi
22 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rio Bravo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Laredo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick connection between Rio Bravo and Laredo, this 16.9-mile trip is a straightforward local commute. Expect to spend about 29 minutes behind the wheel, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate through the Great Plains region using a combination of Peña Drive, Espejo Molina Road, and US 83. Budgeting around $3 for fuel should be sufficient to cover the distance, assuming standard vehicle efficiency. Because there are no mandatory stops scheduled, you can easily complete this transit in one go without needing to plan for breaks. It is a practical, no-frills route designed for efficiency rather than exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Zapata Highway | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| US Highway 83 South | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| South Meadow Avenue | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Guadalupe Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Espejo Molina Road | 1 mi | 3m |
| Houston Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| US 83 Frontage Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Orquidia Lane | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Zapata Highway
— 5.4 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rio Bravo, TX and Laredo, TX.
1
Start on Orquidia Lane
0.2 mi
·
57 sec
·
Orquidia Lane
2
Turn right onto Peña Drive
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Peña Drive
3
Turn left onto Espejo Molina Road
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Espejo Molina Road
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 83 Frontage Road
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
US 83 Frontage Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
6
Merge onto US 83
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US Highway 83 South
7
Continue on US 83
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
South Zapata Highway
8
Turn left onto South Meadow Avenue
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
South Meadow Avenue
9
Turn left onto US 83
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Guadalupe Street
10
Continue on US 83
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Houston Street
11
Turn left onto I 35 Bus
272 ft
·
12 sec
·
Salinas Avenue
12
Turn left onto Matamoros Street
306 ft
·
5 sec
·
Matamoros Street
13
Arrive at destination
Matamoros Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 13.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Peña Drive
Turn right onto Peña Drive
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Espejo Molina Road
Turn left onto Espejo Molina Road
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 83 Frontage Road
At end of road, turn left onto US 83 Frontage Road
Navigation decision point
4
9.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
South Meadow Avenue
Turn left onto South Meadow Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
13.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
Matamoros Street
Turn left onto Matamoros Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.04 one way
$4.08 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $2.23 | $4.47 |
| premium | $4.54 | $2.41 | $4.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.98 | $5.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.42 | $0.65 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.18 | $0.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Laredo, TX
Late night in Laredo on Sunday
Local time
2:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°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
9 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
24m 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 rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route has a highway share of 0%. You will spend your time navigating local roads, with Peña Drive serving as a primary connector where you will find the longest stretch of your journey. Since the route relies on local thoroughfares, you should remain alert for frequent turns and changing road conditions throughout the 29-minute trip. The transition from Rio Bravo to Laredo feels consistent, staying firmly within the same regional landscape. You won't find long, monotonous highway miles here; instead, the drive demands your full attention as you maneuver through the local grid.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.4 mi on South Zapata Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 0.2 miles in near Peña Drive.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 24m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Peña Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Espejo Molina Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (US 83 Frontage Road): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
469 ft
404 ft
Total Climb
164 ft
Total Descent
157 ft
Highest Point
469 ft
~1 mi in
Elevation Range
65 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Rio Bravo, TX
Full guide →Arriving 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 24m. Total distance: 13.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (19%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.4 miles on South Zapata Highway. 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 0.2 miles (Peña Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Espejo Molina Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (US 83 Frontage Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Laredo, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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