Origin
Frankfort, KY
Late night in Frankfort on Sunday
Local time
3:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frankfort, KY to Lexington, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
30.9 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frankfort, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Frankfort and Lexington is a quick, straightforward journey covering just 31.9 miles. You can expect to spend about 42 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. Since the route avoids highways entirely, you won't have to worry about high-speed traffic, and a modest $5 fuel budget is plenty for the trip. Both cities are located within the Southeast region, ensuring a consistent feel as you transition from the state capital to Lexington. This direct connection is perfect for those who prefer local roads over the intensity of major interstates.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Versailles Road | 6.3 mi | 8m |
| Frankfort Road | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| New Circle Road | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Lexington Road | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| East-West Connector | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Frankfort Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Versailles Bypass | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| Gainesway Drive | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Versailles Road
— 6.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frankfort, KY and Lexington, KY.
1
Start on Elk Alley
26 ft
·
6 sec
·
Elk Alley
2
Turn left onto KY 420
243 ft
·
13 sec
·
Mero Street
3
Turn left onto Ann Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Ann Street
4
Turn left onto KY 420
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Main Street
5
Turn right onto KY 1659
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Drive
6
Turn left onto KY 676
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
East-West Connector
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
8
Keep slight right at fork
257 ft
·
3 sec
9
Merge onto US 60
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Versailles Road
10
Continue on US 60
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Frankfort Highway
11
Continue on US 60
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Frankfort Road
12
Continue on US 60
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Versailles Bypass
13
Turn slight left onto US 60
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Lexington Road
14
Continue on US 60
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Versailles Road
Use the left lane.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward KY 4 South: New Circle Road
16
Merge onto KY 4
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
New Circle Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 18
Toward KY 1974: Lexington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn right onto KY 1974
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Tates Creek Road
19
Turn left onto Gainesway Drive
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Gainesway Drive
20
Turn left onto Coldstream Drive
261 ft
·
9 sec
·
Coldstream Drive
21
Arrive at destination
Coldstream Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
KY 420 / Mero Street
Turn left onto KY 420 / Mero Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ann Street
Turn left onto Ann Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
23.8 mi into trip
|
~31m 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.
7
29.4 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward KY 1974: Lexington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 18
Toward KY 1974: Lexington
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.83 one way
$9.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.30 | $10.61 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.95 | $11.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.82 | $13.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.24 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Lexington, KY
Late night in Lexington on Sunday
Local time
3:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
21 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
43m 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 that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Because the route relies on surface streets like Mero Street, Ann Street, and West Main Street, you will experience zero highway driving. This configuration means you are navigating local infrastructure rather than maintaining steady cruise control on an interstate. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches, the journey feels more like an extended commute through the heart of Kentucky. You will find that the constant adjustments required by the local road layout define the personality of this 42-minute trip.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.3 mi on Versailles Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near KY 420 / Mero Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 30.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (KY 420 / Mero Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Ann Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lexington, KY
Full guide →Lexington is the second largest city in Kentucky, located in the Bluegrass Region. Known as the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington has traditionally been dominated by the horse industry and is also heavily influenced by the University of Kentucky, the state's flagship university and the largest employer in the city. The horse industry has greatly influenced Lexington's culture and scenic beauty; the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University contribute to a college town atmosphere with a richer and more diverse culture than some might expect from its size and location. Lexington's compact central downtown district is surrounded by historic neighborhoods. Lexington is in the heart of the Bluegrass region of Kentucky and is still home to hundreds of horse farms.
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 43m. Total distance: 30.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.3 miles on Versailles Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lexington, KY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: near the start (KY 420 / Mero Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Ann Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lexington, 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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