Origin
Luling, LA
Night in Luling on Friday
Local time
11:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Luling, LA to New Orleans, LA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
23.8 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Luling, LA
Miguel Cuenca
Trip Overview
Luling to New Orleans is 23.8 miles and takes about 31 minutes via I-10 and Pontchartrain Expressway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip connects two points within Southeast Louisiana, offering a straightforward drive. You'll primarily be on interstate highways, making it an easy option for a quick transition between locations. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a same-day journey, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination. Consider this a practical link rather than an extensive scenic tour.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 23.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route is a mixed drive, with 57% of it being highway. You'll experience stretches on I-10, including crossing the Hale Boggs Bridge, before transitioning onto the Pontchartrain Expressway. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 10.1 miles on I-10, which provides a good opportunity to maintain a steady speed. Expect a predominantly fast-paced journey, typical of interstate travel, with minimal slowdowns unless traffic conditions dictate otherwise. The character is largely urban and suburban, leading directly into the heart of New Orleans.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 10 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 1 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 23.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 18.9 miles (I 10 / Pontchartrain Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 310 North: New Orleans
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 310 North: New Orleans
6
8.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: New Orleans
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 1A
Toward I 10 East: New Orleans
8
18.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 10 / Pontchartrain Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / Pontchartrain Expressway toward New Orleans, Business District
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward New Orleans, Business District
6
22.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
I 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
22.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward Poydras Street, Superdome
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 234B
Toward Poydras Street, Superdome
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Luling, LA to New Orleans, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Business District along the way.
Business District
18.9 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 10
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 | 10.1 mi | 12m |
| Hale Boggs Bridge | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| Pontchartrain Expressway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| River Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Tulane Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Claiborne Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Paul Maillard Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Luling Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 10.1 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Luling, LA and New Orleans, LA.
1
Start on Luling Avenue
100 ft
·
6 sec
·
Luling Avenue
2
Turn left onto LA 52
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Paul Maillard Road
3
Turn left onto LA 18
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
River Road
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward Boutte, New Orleans
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 310 North: New Orleans
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 310
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Hale Boggs Bridge
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1A
Toward I 10 East: New Orleans
8
Merge onto I 10
9.6 mi
·
11 min
·
I 10
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Pontchartrain Expressway
Toward New Orleans, Business District
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 234B
Toward Poydras Street, Superdome
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Turn left onto South Claiborne Avenue
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
South Claiborne Avenue
13
Turn right onto Tulane Avenue
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Tulane Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
Tulane Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.59 one way
$7.19 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $3.95 | $7.89 |
| premium | $4.56 | $4.27 | $8.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
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
New Orleans, LA
Night in New Orleans on Friday
Local time
11:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
2 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
31m 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 Luling, LA to New Orleans, LA covers 23.8 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 10, Hale Boggs Bridge, Pontchartrain Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.9 miles from Luling, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.59 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 is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 23.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 18.9 miles (I 10 / Pontchartrain Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Luling, LA to New Orleans, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Business District along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From New Orleans, LA
More from Luling, LA
More trips to New Orleans, LA
Explore more options from Luling, LA or browse trips ending in New Orleans, LA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse LA road trips.