How far is Houston, TX from Baton Rouge, LA?

The driving distance from Houston, TX to Baton Rouge, LA is about 268 miles (431.3 km), with a travel time of about 05h 00m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 254 miles (408.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 00m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
268.01 mi
05h 00m
Flight
253.97 mi
408.73 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Houston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
253.97 mi
Kilometers
408.73 km
Flight Time
00h 30m

Driving Distance

Road route
268.01 mi
Kilometers
431.32 km
Drive Time
05h 00m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 05h 00m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Baton Rouge
Thu, Oct 15, 3:55 PM CDT
Return by in Houston
Thu, Oct 15, 8:55 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Houston
2026-10-15T10:55
Arrive Baton Rouge
Thu, Oct 15, 3:55 PM CDT
Route Timing
05h 00m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
7:00 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Houston
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Sulphur
LA

Suburb city of Lake Charles, located in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, United States

From Houston
133.8 mi
02h 30m
To Baton Rouge
134.2 mi
02h 30m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
89°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SE
Destination
90°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Houston and Baton Rouge.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houston and Baton Rouge.

  1. 1

    Start on Louisiana Street

    145 m · 20 sec · Louisiana Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Franklin Street

    1678 ft · 1 min · Franklin Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto San Jacinto Street

    2319 ft · 49 sec · San Jacinto Street

  4. 4

    Turn straight onto Rothwell Street

    106 m · 7 sec · Rothwell Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp straight toward US 59 East, I 10 East

    792 ft · 19 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto East Freeway

    5.2 mi · 7 min · East Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on East Freeway

    13.4 mi · 16 min · East Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on East Freeway

    96.3 mi · 1 hr 45 min · East Freeway

  9. 9

    Continue on Creole Nature Trail All-American Road

    151 mi · 2 hr 48 min · Creole Nature Trail All-American Road

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward LA 30

    1984 ft · 48 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight right

    122 m · 10 sec

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto Oklahoma Street

    151 m · 19 sec · Oklahoma Street

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Nicholson Drive

    1685 ft · 34 sec · Nicholson Drive

  14. 14

    Continue on Saint Louis Street

    1378 ft · 45 sec · Saint Louis Street

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Government Street

    4 m · 1 sec · Government Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Government Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Houston and Baton Rouge.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
16 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Creole Nature Trail All-American Road
151 mi · 56%
East Freeway
115 mi · 43%
LA 30
0.45 mi
San Jacinto Street
0.44 mi
Nicholson Drive
0.32 mi
Franklin Street
0.32 mi
Longest Stretch

Creole Nature Trail All-American Road

Continue on Creole Nature Trail All-American Road

151 mi · 02h 48m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
05h 00m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+14 mi
254 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sulphur
02h 30m from Houston
Leave By
7:00 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Houston and Sunny near Baton Rouge.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Houston to Baton Rouge?

The road trip is about 268 miles (431.3 km) and usually takes 05h 00m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Sulphur is a useful midpoint, sitting about 133.8 miles from Houston and 134.2 miles from Baton Rouge.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 254 miles (408.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 14 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:00 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $36.32 one way or $72.63 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 84.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Houston and Sunny near Baton Rouge.

Stop Ideas Near Sulphur

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Sulphur, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Sulphur.

RAIL

Lake Charles

16 mi away
100 Ryan Street
RAIL

Beaumont

74 mi away
2555 W. Cedar Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Houston and Baton Rouge. Straight-line distance: 253.97 mi (408.73 km).

Houston

#1 Houston

The fourth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Houston metropolitan area.

Population2,316,120
Coordinates29.7632800, -95.3632700
Altitude12
CountryUnited States
Baton Rouge

#2 Baton Rouge

The capital of Louisiana.

Population219,052
Coordinates30.4433200, -91.1874700
Altitude14
CountryUnited States
Start: Houston (-95.36327, 29.76328)
End: Baton Rouge (-91.18747, 30.44332)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 431 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 55m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 42m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 28m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 49m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.46 gal
35.8 L · about $36.32
Round trip
$72.63
18.92 gal · 71.6 L
Estimated CO2
84.1 kg one way
Round trip: 168.1 kg / 371 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.84 $36.32 $72.63
Mid-grade $4.35 $41.12 $82.25
Premium $4.72 $44.68 $89.36
Diesel $5.78 $54.64 $109.28

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Texas · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Houston and Baton Rouge. The current time is 10:55:28.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.