Origin
Harrison, OH
Late night in Harrison on Tuesday
Local time
5:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Harrison, OH to Cincinnati, OH
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
21.9 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Harrison, OH
Kian Mousazadeh
Cincinnati, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick commute or a short excursion within the Midwest, the 21.9-mile trip from Harrison to Cincinnati is an efficient choice. You can expect to reach your destination in approximately 30 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. The route relies heavily on major thoroughfares, including the Northwest Expressway, the Circle Freeway, and Harrison Avenue, keeping your transit time to a minimum. With an estimated fuel cost of just $3, it is a budget-friendly way to travel between these Ohio locations. Because the entire journey takes place within the same region, you will find the transition between the two points seamless and straightforward. This drive is best suited for those who prioritize speed and practicality over leisurely sightseeing.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Expressway | 14.7 mi | 17m |
| Circle Freeway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Harrison Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Martin Luther King Junior Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| US 27 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Mill Creek Expressway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West McMillan Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Northwest Expressway
— 14.7 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Harrison, OH and Cincinnati, OH.
1
Start on South State Street
9 ft
·
4 sec
·
South State Street
2
Turn right onto Harrison Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Harrison Avenue
3
Turn left onto New Haven Road
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
New Haven Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 74 East, US 52 East: Cincinnati
5
Merge onto I 74; US 52
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Northwest Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 74; I 275; US 52
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Circle Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74; US 52
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Northwest Expressway
Toward I 75 East, US 52 East: Cincinnati
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 27; US 52
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
US 27; US 52
Toward I 75 South, US 27 South, US 127 South, US 52 East: Lexington
9
Merge onto I 75; US 52; US 27
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Mill Creek Expressway
10
Take the exit onto US 27; US 52
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
US 27; US 52
Exit 3
Toward US 27 South, US 127 South, US 52 East: Hopple Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on US 27; US 52
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Hopple Street
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on West Martin Luther King Junior Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Martin Luther King Junior Drive
13
Turn right onto Clifton Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
14
At end of road, turn left onto West McMillan Avenue
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
West McMillan Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto Ohio Avenue
99 ft
·
3 sec
·
Ohio Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Ohio Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 21.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
New Haven Road
Turn left onto New Haven Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
8.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 74; US 52 / Northwest Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 74; US 52 / Northwest Expressway toward I 75 East, US 52 East: Cincinnati
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 East, US 52 East: Cincinnati
6
18.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
US 27; US 52
Keep slight right at fork onto US 27; US 52 toward I 75 South, US 27 South, US 127 South, US 52 East: Lexington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 75 South, US 27 South, US 127 South, U...
8
19.7 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
US 27; US 52
Take the exit onto US 27; US 52 toward US 27 South, US 127 South, US 52 East: Hopple Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 3
Toward US 27 South, US 127 South, US 52 East: H...
6
21.6 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
West McMillan Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto West McMillan Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.40 one way
$6.80 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $3.77 | $7.54 |
| premium | $4.91 | $4.23 | $8.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.84 | $9.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.30 | $1.05 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Cincinnati, OH
Late night in Cincinnati on Tuesday
Local time
5:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
30m 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 21.9-mile journey is heavily highway-focused, with 84% of your time spent on high-speed roads. You will settle into a steady rhythm quickly, highlighted by a 14.7-mile stretch on the Northwest Expressway that accounts for the bulk of your travel time. As you navigate the transition from the Northwest Expressway to the Circle Freeway and finally onto Harrison Avenue, the environment shifts from suburban transit to the urban density of Cincinnati. It is a functional, no-nonsense drive that favors efficiency over winding scenery. Expect a consistent pace behind the wheel, as there are no planned stops required to complete the route in its 30-minute duration.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.7 mi on Northwest Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Northwest Expressway and Circle Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near New Haven Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 21.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (New Haven Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles (I 74; US 52 / Northwest Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.9 miles (US 27; US 52): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Cincinnati, OH
Full guide →Founded 1788
Cincinnati is Ohio's third largest city and the largest metro region, and lies on the north bank of the Ohio River in Southwest Ohio in the United States of America. Cincinnati is distinct amongst Midwestern cities. Its culture is a mixture of the Northeast, Old South, Midwest, and Appalachia blended with a strong German-Catholic heritage. It was one of the United States' early boomtowns, and the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is the largest National Historic District in the country. Today, it's part of a fast-growing metro area, and home to a remarkable blend of industry and architecture. Downtown Cincinnati is surrounded by picturesque foothills that add a beautiful backdrop to the Queen City and its legendary skyline – celebrated in the opening credits of television show WKRP in Cincinnati.
Top landmarks
- • Carew Tower — skyscraper in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- • Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains — cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati in downtown Cincinnati...
- • Cincinnati Observatory — other organization in Cincinnati, United States
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 30m. Total distance: 21.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.7 miles on Northwest Expressway. 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 Cincinnati, OH 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: at 1 miles (New Haven Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles (I 74; US 52 / Northwest Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.9 miles (US 27; US 52): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cincinnati, OH 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Cincinnati, OH
More trips to Cincinnati, OH
Explore more options from Harrison, OH or browse trips ending in Cincinnati, OH.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse OH road trips.