Origin
Central City, KY
Night in Central City on Saturday
Local time
11:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Central City, KY to Elizabethtown, 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 29m
Distance
81.3 mi
131 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 33m
3 PM
1h 35m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Central City, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabethtown, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 81.3-mile drive from Central City, KY, to Elizabethtown, KY, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 29 minutes to complete. You'll primarily be navigating on South 2nd Street, the Western Kentucky Parkway, and US 31W. With a projected fuel cost of around $12, this route offers an economical journey. It's a practical option for travelers looking for a direct connection within the Southeast region of Kentucky. Since there are no designated stops and the longest stretch isn't noted, plan for flexibility as you travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South 2nd Street | — | — |
| Western Kentucky Parkway | — | — |
| US 31W | — | — |
| Elizabethtown Bypass | — | — |
| New Glendale Road | — | — |
| East Dixie Avenue | — | — |
| West Dixie Avenue | — | — |
| North Mulberry Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
South 2nd Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Central City, KY and Elizabethtown, KY.
1
Start on East Broad Street
75 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Broad Street
2
Turn left onto South 2nd Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
South 2nd Street
3
Take the exit right
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
4
Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway
78 mi
·
1 hr 23 min
·
Western Kentucky Parkway
5
Take the exit slight right toward US 31W Bypass: Elizabethtown
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 31W Bypass: Elizabethtown
6
Turn right onto Elizabethtown Bypass
400 ft
·
7 sec
·
Elizabethtown Bypass
7
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward New Glendale Road
154 ft
·
2 sec
·
New Glendale Road
8
Exit the roundabout onto New Glendale Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
New Glendale Road
9
Turn left onto East Dixie Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Dixie Avenue
10
Turn right
135 ft
·
3 sec
11
Turn left
118 ft
·
2 sec
12
Keep slight right to continue on West Dixie Avenue
446 ft
·
11 sec
·
West Dixie Avenue
13
Turn right onto North Mulberry Street
79 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Mulberry Street
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 40.7 miles from Central City, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.71 one way
$25.42 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $13.96 | $27.91 |
| premium | $4.89 | $15.65 | $31.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.95 | $35.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.4 | 0 | $8.54 | $3.90 |
| Efficient EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.11 | $3.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.5 | 0 | $11.38 | $5.20 |
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (64% 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
Elizabethtown, KY
Late night in Elizabethtown on Sunday
Local time
12:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
25 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 29m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, rather than a high-speed highway experience, as indicated by the 0% highway share. This means you'll encounter more frequent turns and local road conditions throughout the 81.3-mile journey. The drive transitions between South 2nd Street, the Western Kentucky Parkway, and US 31W, suggesting a mix of urban and potentially more rural road segments. Without a clearly defined longest uninterrupted stretch, you can anticipate a dynamic driving experience with varied scenery and speed.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: South 2nd Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Central City, KY to Elizabethtown, KY is easy. At 1h 29m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Central City, KY to Elizabethtown, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Arriving in Elizabethtown, KY
Full guide →Elizabethtown is a small town in the Kentucky Derby Region. Abraham Lincoln's parents Thomas and Nancy had their daughter Sarah here in 1807 and then Abraham nearby at Sinking Spring Farm in 1809.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 29m. Total distance: 81.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Central City, KY to Elizabethtown, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elizabethtown, 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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