Origin
Bardstown, KY
Morning in Bardstown on Sunday
Local time
6:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bardstown, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
63.4 mi
102 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bardstown, KY
Brady Wilson
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bardstown, KY to Lexington-Fayette, KY is 63.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes via the Bluegrass Parkway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive stays within Kentucky, connecting two points in the Southeast region. It’s a straightforward trip that bypasses the need for an overnight stay, making it ideal for a quick transition. You'll find it’s a practical route for getting from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegrass Parkway | 46.3 mi | 49m |
| New Circle Road | 7.1 mi | 10m |
| Versailles Road | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| US 62 | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Lexington Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Floyd Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Court Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Bluegrass Parkway
— 46.3 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bardstown, KY and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
1
Start on US 31E; US 62; US 150
329 ft
·
5 sec
·
Court Square
2
Continue on US 62; US 150
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 62; US 150
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
4
Merge onto Bluegrass Parkway
46 mi
·
49 min
·
Bluegrass Parkway
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward US 60 West: Frankfort
6
Turn right onto US 60
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Lexington Road
7
Continue on US 60
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Versailles Road
Use the left lane.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward KY 4 North: New Circle Road
9
Merge onto KY 4
7.1 mi
·
10 min
·
New Circle Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Floyd Drive
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Floyd Drive
11
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
41 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.7 miles from Bardstown, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 56 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
49.1 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 60 West: Frankfort
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 60 West: Frankfort
4
49.2 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
US 60 / Lexington Road
Turn right onto US 60 / Lexington Road
Navigation decision point
4
55.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward KY 4 North: New Circle Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward KY 4 North: New Circle Road
5
56 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
KY 4 / New Circle Road
Merge onto KY 4 / New Circle Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.91 one way
$19.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.88 | $21.77 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.20 | $24.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.00 | $28.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19 | 0 | $6.66 | $3.04 |
| Efficient EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.55 | $2.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.4 | 0 | $8.88 | $4.06 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Morning in Lexington-Fayette on Sunday
Local time
6:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 15m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is largely a highway-focused drive, with 77% of the journey on main roads. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the Bluegrass Parkway, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 46.3 miles. Expect a smooth, relatively fast pace for most of the 63.4 miles. As you approach Lexington-Fayette, the route transitions onto New Circle Road, which offers a slightly more urban feel before you reach your destination.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.3 mi on Bluegrass Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bluegrass Parkway and New Circle Road. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 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 63.4 miles you will encounter 8 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 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 49.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 49.2 miles (US 60 / Lexington Road): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 63.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46.3 miles on Bluegrass Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 49.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 49.2 miles (US 60 / Lexington Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lexington-Fayette, KY before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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