How far is Lake Charles, LA from Alexandria, LA?

The driving distance from Lake Charles, LA to Alexandria, LA is about 99.3 miles (159.8 km), with a travel time of about 01h 44m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 88.2 miles (142 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 29m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
99.26 mi
01h 44m
Flight
88.26 mi
142.04 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lake Charles.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
88.26 mi
Kilometers
142.04 km
Flight Time
00h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
99.26 mi
Kilometers
159.75 km
Drive Time
01h 44m

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 01h 44m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Alexandria
Sun, Apr 19, 5:26 AM CDT
Return by in Lake Charles
Sun, Apr 19, 7:11 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake Charles
2026-04-19T03:41
Arrive Alexandria
Sun, Apr 19, 5:26 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 44m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:45 AM to 11:45 AM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
3:00 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lake Charles
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Oberlin
LA

Town in Louisiana, United States

From Lake Charles
48.7 mi
00h 52m
To Alexandria
50.5 mi
00h 52m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Sunday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph NE
Destination
73°F
Sunday

Rain Showers Likely then Partly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lake Charles and Alexandria.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Charles and Alexandria.

  1. 1

    Start on Enterprise Boulevard

    146 m · 15 sec · Enterprise Boulevard

  2. 2

    Continue on Enterprise Boulevard

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Enterprise Boulevard

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Belden Street

    28 m · 2 sec · Belden Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight left

    1211 ft · 30 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    12.7 mi · 14 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward US 165: Kinder, Alexandria

    2422 ft · 59 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight left

    135 m · 12 sec

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    78.3 mi · 1 hr 37 min

  9. 9

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Masonic Circle

    1799 ft · 34 sec · Masonic Drive

  10. 10

    Exit the rotary onto Masonic Drive

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Masonic Drive

  11. 11

    Continue on Fenner Street

    657 ft · 20 sec · Fenner Street

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Overton Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Overton Street

  13. 13

    Continue on Casson Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · Casson Street

  14. 14

    At the end of the road, turn left onto 2nd Street

    1883 ft · 1 min · 2nd Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Murray Street

    112 m · 16 sec · Murray Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Murray Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lake Charles and Alexandria.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
16 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
16.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 165
78.9 mi · 79%
Belden Street
13 mi · 13%
Enterprise Boulevard
1.73 mi · 2%
Masonic Drive
1.58 mi · 2%
Casson Street
0.75 mi · 1%
Overton Street
0.66 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

US 165

Continue straight

78.3 mi · 01h 37m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 44m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+11.1 mi
88.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Oberlin
00h 52m from Lake Charles
Leave By
3:00 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy leaving Lake Charles and Rain Showers Likely then Partly Sunny near Alexandria.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Charles to Alexandria?

The road trip is about 99.3 miles (159.8 km) and usually takes 01h 44m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Oberlin is a useful midpoint, sitting about 48.7 miles from Lake Charles and 50.5 miles from Alexandria.

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

The direct path is about 88.2 miles (142 km), while the road route adds roughly 11.1 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 3:00 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $13.25 one way or $26.51 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 31.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy around Lake Charles and Rain Showers Likely then Partly Sunny near Alexandria.

Stop Ideas Near Oberlin

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Oberlin, 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 Oberlin.

RAIL

Lake Charles

61 mi away
100 Ryan Street
RAIL

Lafayette

84 mi away
133 East Grant St.
RAIL

New Iberia

113 mi away
West Washington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake Charles and Alexandria. Straight-line distance: 88.26 mi (142.04 km).

Lake Charles

#1 Lake Charles

The second most populous city in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.

Population78,433
Coordinates30.2130900, -93.2044000
Altitude4
CountryUnited States
Alexandria

#2 Alexandria

The capital of Louisiana.

Population45,573
Coordinates31.3112900, -92.4451400
Altitude23
CountryUnited States
Start: Enterprise Boulevad (-93.204402, 30.21309)
End: Murray Street (-92.444972, 31.311153)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 160 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 18m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 28m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 59m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 25m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 14m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.5 gal
13.26 L · about $13.25
Round trip
$26.51
7 gal · 26.52 L
Estimated CO2
31.1 kg one way
Round trip: 62.2 kg / 137 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $13.25 $26.51
Mid-grade $4.26 $14.91 $29.81
Premium $4.63 $16.19 $32.38
Diesel $5.42 $18.95 $37.91

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 Louisiana · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Lake Charles and Alexandria. The current time is 03:41:54.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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