Origin
Donaldsonville, LA
Afternoon in Donaldsonville on Saturday
Local time
1:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Donaldsonville, LA to Alexandria, LA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 2m
Distance
153.1 mi
246 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 51m
★
6 AM
3h 2m
8 AM
3h 25m
10 AM
3h 10m
12 PM
3h 8m
3 PM
3h 11m
5 PM
3h 24m
8 PM
2h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Donaldsonville, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Alexandria, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Donaldsonville, LA to Alexandria, LA covers 153.1 miles and takes about 3h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, State Route 1, Highway 1 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.9 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
76.6 miles from Donaldsonville, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 39m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway | 64.9 mi | 1h 5m |
| State Route 1 | 49 mi | 1h 2m |
| Highway 1 North | 18.5 mi | 21m |
| Highway 1 | 11.6 mi | 17m |
| North Lobdell Highway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| I 10 | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| Church Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| West 10th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
— 64.9 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Donaldsonville, LA and Alexandria, LA.
1
Start on LA 1
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 10th Street
2
Continue on LA 1
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Highway 1 North
3
Continue on LA 1
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Church Street
4
Continue on LA 1
12 mi
·
17 min
·
Highway 1
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 10 West: Lafayette
6
Merge onto I 10
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 151
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
317 ft
·
7 sec
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto LA 415
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lobdell Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 190; LA 1
49 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
·
State Route 1
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Alexandria
12
Merge onto I 49; US 167
65 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward M L King Drive, Downtown Alexandria
14
Continue on 10th Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
10th Street
15
Turn right onto Murray Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Murray Street
16
Arrive at destination
Murray Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 76.6 miles from Donaldsonville, LA, or about 1h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 34 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.6 miles or 1h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alexandria, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Donaldsonville, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Donaldsonville, LA
This is one driving day of about 153.1 miles and 3h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Donaldsonville, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway for about 64.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
77 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 76.6 miles from Donaldsonville, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.9 miles.
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 105 decision points cluster between mile 34.1 and 87.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
34.1 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward LA 415: Lobdell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 151
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
7
34.5 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Keep slight right at fork toward LA 415: Lobdell
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
5
34.5 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
LA 415 / North Lobdell Highway
Merge onto LA 415 / North Lobdell Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
38.1 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
US 190; LA 1 / State Route 1
Merge onto US 190; LA 1 / State Route 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
87.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 53m in
Take the exit toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Alexandria
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Alexandria
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.12 one way
$46.24 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
54 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $25.38 | $50.76 |
| premium | $4.56 | $27.48 | $54.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $33.80 | $67.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 45.9 | 0 | $16.08 | $7.35 |
| Efficient EV | 38.3 | 0 | $13.40 | $6.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 61.2 | 0 | $21.43 | $9.80 |
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 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
Alexandria, LA
Afternoon in Alexandria on Saturday
Local time
1:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
25 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 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?
153.1 mi in 3h 2m — 53% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.9 mi on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 34.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 153.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 34.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.5 miles (LA 415 / North Lobdell Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Alexandria, LA
Full guide →Alexandria is a historic city, rich in Louisiana history. Civil War historic sites along with easy access to numerous historic locations and Kisatchie National Forest sites make it a city ideal for history enthusiasts and sportsmen.
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 3h 2m. Total distance: 153.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64.9 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Alexandria, LA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 34.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.5 miles (LA 415 / North Lobdell Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Alexandria, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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