Origin
Danville, KY
Morning in Danville on Sunday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Danville, 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
52m
Distance
37.8 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Danville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 37.8-mile drive from Danville to Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky, is easily manageable in about 52 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. With a modest fuel cost of around $6, you won't break the bank on this journey. The route primarily sticks to local roads like Lexington Road and Danville Road, with a brief stint on New Circle Road. Since it's a short trip with no designated stops, you can depart whenever you're ready and arrive in Lexington with plenty of time for activities. This route keeps you within the Southeast region of Kentucky, offering a consistent feel throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington Road | 15.2 mi | 19m |
| New Circle Road | 7 mi | 10m |
| Danville Road | 6 mi | 6m |
| South Main Street | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Nicholasville Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Chenault Bridge Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East Lexington Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Lexington Road
— 15.2 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Danville, KY and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
1
Start on US 150; KY 34; KY 52
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Turn left onto KY 34
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
Wilderness Road
3
Continue on KY 34
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Lexington Avenue
4
Continue on KY 34
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lexington Road
5
Continue on KY 34
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Lexington Road
6
Continue on KY 34
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Chenault Bridge Road
7
Turn left onto US 27
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Lexington Road
8
Continue on US 27
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Danville Road
9
Turn right onto US 27 Business
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
South Main Street
10
Turn right onto US 27
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Lexington Road
11
Continue on US 27
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Nicholasville Road
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward KY 4 East: New Circle Road
Use the right lane.
13
Merge onto KY 4
7.0 mi
·
10 min
·
New Circle Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto Floyd Drive
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Floyd Drive
15
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
41 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.9 miles from Danville, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 37.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
KY 34 / Wilderness Road
Turn left onto KY 34 / Wilderness Road
Navigation decision point
3
23.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
US 27 / Lexington Road
Turn right onto US 27 / Lexington Road
Navigation decision point
6
30.2 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward KY 4 East: New Circle Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward KY 4 East: New Circle Road
5
30.5 mi into trip
|
~41m 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.
4
37.7 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.91 one way
$11.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.49 | $12.98 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.27 | $14.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.35 | $16.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.97 | $1.81 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.29 | $2.42 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
6:25 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
52m 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 for most of this 37.8-mile journey, as it features a 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 15.2 miles on Lexington Road. This means you'll be navigating through more community roads and less high-speed travel, requiring your attention to be on changing speed limits and intersections. The profile suggests a driving experience that involves frequent adjustments rather than cruising.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.2 mi on Lexington Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near KY 34 / Wilderness Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 52m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (KY 34 / Wilderness Road): Navigation decision point; at 23.4 miles (US 27 / Lexington Road): Navigation decision point; at 30.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 37.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m 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 with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.2 miles on Lexington Road. 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 0.3 miles (KY 34 / Wilderness Road): Navigation decision point; at 23.4 miles (US 27 / Lexington Road): Navigation decision point; at 30.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Camp Nelson National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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