How far is Lake Charles, LA from Pine Prairie, LA?

The driving distance from Lake Charles, LA to Pine Prairie, LA is about 74.1 miles (119.3 km), with a travel time of about 01h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 60.9 miles (98 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 16m 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
74.16 mi
01h 38m
Flight
60.88 mi
97.97 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
60.88 mi
Kilometers
97.97 km
Flight Time
00h 07m

Driving Distance

Road route
74.16 mi
Kilometers
119.35 km
Drive Time
01h 38m

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 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Pine Prairie
Wed, Apr 15, 4:51 PM CDT
Return by in Lake Charles
Wed, Apr 15, 6:30 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake Charles
2026-04-15T15:13
Arrive Pine Prairie
Wed, Apr 15, 4:51 PM CDT
Route Timing
01h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:38 AM to 11:38 AM CDT

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

Leave by
3:14 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
Kinder
LA

City in Louisiana, United States of America

From Lake Charles
37.1 mi
00h 49m
To Pine Prairie
37 mi
00h 49m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
66°F
Overnight

Partly Cloudy

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 12:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph SE
Destination
86°F
This Afternoon

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 1:00 PM CDT
Wind
5 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Charles and Pine Prairie.

  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

    43.5 mi · 54 min

  9. 9

    Turn right onto State Route 10

    4.2 mi · 6 min · State Route 10

  10. 10

    Continue on Oakdale Road

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Oakdale Road

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Beaver Road

    9.2 mi · 16 min · Beaver Road

  12. 12

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Veterans Memorial Highway

    2087 ft · 41 sec · Veterans Memorial Highway

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Elm Street

    4 m · 1 sec · Elm Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Elm Street

Car Route Details

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

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
14 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
18.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 165
44 mi · 59%
Belden Street
13 mi · 18%
Beaver Road
9.17 mi · 12%
State Route 10
4.16 mi · 6%
Enterprise Boulevard
1.73 mi · 2%
Oakdale Road
1.66 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

US 165

Continue straight

43.5 mi · 00h 54m

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 38m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+13.2 mi
60.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kinder
00h 49m from Lake Charles
Leave By
3:14 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Partly Cloudy leaving Lake Charles and Mostly Sunny near Pine Prairie.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Charles to Pine Prairie?

The road trip is about 74.1 miles (119.3 km) and usually takes 01h 38m 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?

Kinder is a useful midpoint, sitting about 37.1 miles from Lake Charles and 37 miles from Pine Prairie.

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

The direct path is about 60.9 miles (98 km), while the road route adds roughly 13.2 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 3:14 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $9.92 one way or $19.84 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 23.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Cloudy around Lake Charles and Mostly Sunny near Pine Prairie.

Stop Ideas Near Kinder

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

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

RAIL

Lake Charles

44 mi away
100 Ryan Street
RAIL

Lafayette

85 mi away
133 East Grant St.
RAIL

New Iberia

112 mi away
West Washington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake Charles and Pine Prairie. Straight-line distance: 60.88 mi (97.97 km).

Lake Charles

#1 Lake Charles

The second most populous city in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.

Population78,433
Coordinates30.2130900, -93.2044000
Altitude4
CountryUnited States
Pine Prairie

#2 Pine Prairie

City in Louisiana, United States of America

Population1,444
Coordinates30.7838100, -92.4254100
Altitude38
CountryUnited States
Start: Lake Charles (-93.2044, 30.21309)
End: Pine Prairie (-92.42541, 30.78381)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 119 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 28m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 51m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 14m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 03m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 55m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.62 gal
9.91 L · about $9.92
Round trip
$19.84
5.24 gal · 19.82 L
Estimated CO2
23.3 kg one way
Round trip: 46.6 kg / 103 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $9.92 $19.84
Mid-grade $4.26 $11.16 $22.32
Premium $4.63 $12.12 $24.24
Diesel $5.42 $14.19 $28.37

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 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Lake Charles and Pine Prairie. The current time is 15:13:37.

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.