Origin
Laurel, MT
Afternoon in Laurel on Friday
Local time
1:49 PM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Laurel, MT to Billings, MT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
16.3 mi
26 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laurel, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Billings, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Laurel, MT to Billings, MT is 16.3 miles and takes about 22 minutes via Montana Avenue/I 90 Business/South 1st Avenue, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Mountain West region, specifically in Montana. Expect a local driving experience with frequent turns rather than an open highway cruise. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick transfer or an add-on to a larger trip when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 16.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (13%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This is a turn-heavy local drive, with only 13% of the journey on the highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 2.2 miles along Montana Avenue. As you transition between Montana Avenue, I 90 Business, and South 1st Avenue, be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires your attention. This route is less about covering distance and more about navigating through the local infrastructure, making it feel more like a city drive than a traditional road trip.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 7 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Montana Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 2.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 4 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 16.3 miles you will encounter 4 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles (I 90 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 12.4 miles (I 90 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.6 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
4
12.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 90 Business
Take the exit onto I 90 Business toward I 90 Business: West Billings
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 90 Business: West Billings
5
12.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 90 Business
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 Business toward I 90 Business: City Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 90 Business: City Center
4
14.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 90 Business / Montana Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 Business / Montana Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Montana Avenue | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| I 90 Business | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| South 1st Avenue | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Montana Avenue
— 2.2 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Laurel, MT and Billings, MT.
1
Start on US 310; MT S-532
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
South 1st Avenue
2
Turn left
11 mi
·
13 min
3
Take the exit onto I 90 Business
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
I 90 Business
Toward I 90 Business: West Billings
4
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 Business
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
I 90 Business
Toward I 90 Business: City Center
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 Business
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Montana Avenue
6
Continue on I 90 Business
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Montana Avenue
7
Arrive at destination
I 90 Business
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.58 one way
$5.17 round trip
$4.03/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $2.71 | $5.41 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.91 | $5.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.60 | $7.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Billings, MT
Afternoon in Billings on Friday
Local time
1:49 PM
MDT
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
30 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
22m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Laurel, MT to Billings, MT covers 16.3 miles and takes about 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Montana Avenue, I 90 Business, South 1st Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.2 miles from Laurel, MT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.58 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 16.3 miles you will encounter 4 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles (I 90 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 12.4 miles (I 90 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Laurel, MT to Billings, MT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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