Origin
Elizabethtown, KY
Late night in Elizabethtown on Sunday
Local time
12:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabethtown, KY to Bardstown, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
26.2 mi
42 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabethtown, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Bardstown, KY
Brady Wilson
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick excursion through Kentucky, the 26.2-mile journey from Elizabethtown to Bardstown is an ideal choice. Expect to spend about 32 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You will navigate using local roads and the Bluegrass Parkway, keeping your travel time minimal. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, this route is as economical as it is efficient. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region, you will experience a consistent atmosphere throughout the entire drive. It is a straightforward trip that offers plenty of flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegrass Parkway | 19.6 mi | 21m |
| North Mulberry Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| New Haven Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| I 65 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Cathedral Manor | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Stephen Foster Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Court Square | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Bluegrass Parkway
— 19.6 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabethtown, KY and Bardstown, KY.
1
Start on US 62; KY 61
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Mulberry Street
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
3
Merge onto I 65
0.6 mi
·
38 sec
·
I 65
4
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 93
Toward Lexington, Bardstown
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on Bluegrass Parkway
20 mi
·
21 min
·
Bluegrass Parkway
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward Bardstown, New Haven
7
Turn left onto US 31E
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
New Haven Road
8
Continue on US 31E
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Cathedral Manor
9
Continue on West Stephen Foster Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Stephen Foster Avenue
10
Enter roundabout onto US 31E; US 62; US 150
513 ft
·
8 sec
·
Court Square
11
Arrive at destination
US 31E; US 62; US 150
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 26.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
2.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 65
Merge onto I 65
Merge point - match speed before joining
8
2.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward Lexington, Bardstown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 93
Toward Lexington, Bardstown
5
23.3 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward Bardstown, New Haven
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Bardstown, New Haven
4
23.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
US 31E / New Haven Road
Turn left onto US 31E / New Haven Road
Navigation decision point
5
26.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
US 31E; US 62; US 150 / Court Square
Enter roundabout onto US 31E; US 62; US 150 / Court Square
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.10 one way
$8.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.50 | $8.99 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.04 | $10.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.78 | $11.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.75 | $1.26 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.29 | $1.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.67 | $1.68 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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
Bardstown, KY
Late night in Bardstown on Sunday
Local time
12:20 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
25 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
32m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this 32-minute route features zero highway share, meaning you will be navigating local roads for the duration of the trip. You will find that the road requires frequent adjustments as you transition toward Bardstown. Because there is no extended, uninterrupted stretch, the drive maintains a dynamic feel from start to finish. Expect a hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged with the local landscape rather than cruising on autopilot.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.6 mi on Bluegrass Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bluegrass Parkway and North Mulberry Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near I 65.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Elizabethtown, KY to Bardstown, KY is easy. At 32m with 77% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Elizabethtown, KY and Bardstown, KY, road signs point toward Lexington and New Haven.
Lexington
2.9 mi in
|
~4m
New Haven
23.3 mi in
|
~27m
About the Cities
Starting 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 32m. Total distance: 26.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.6 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 2.3 miles (I 65): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bardstown, 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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