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Trip from Lexington-Fayette, KY to Frankfort, KY

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

38m

Distance

29.4 mi

47 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 35m ★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in and county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Wikimedia Commons

county seat city in Franklin County, Kentucky, USA and Kentucky federated state capital city

Frankfort, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Lexington-Fayette, KY to Frankfort, KY is 29.4 miles and takes about 38m via I 64, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, direct drive primarily on interstates, perfect for a quick trip between two points within Kentucky's Southeast region. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained highways, making it an efficient way to get from point A to point B. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for those looking to maximize their time at their destination rather than on the road. Consider this your straightforward connection for a business trip or a brief visit.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 64 20.7 mi 22m
East-West Connector 1.8 mi 2m
East New Circle Road 1.4 mi 2m
North Broadway 1.2 mi 2m
Versailles Road 1.1 mi 1m
Martin Luther King Drive 0.8 mi 1m
East Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
Floyd Drive 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 64 — 20.7 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lexington-Fayette, KY and Frankfort, KY.

1

Start on this road

0.1 mi · 42 sec · this road
2

At end of road, turn right onto Floyd Drive

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Floyd Drive
3

Turn left onto KY 4

1.4 mi · 2 min · East New Circle Road
Use the straight lane.
4

Turn right onto US 27; US 68

1.2 mi · 2 min · North Broadway
Use the right lane.
5

Turn left

0.5 mi · 55 sec
Toward I 75 North, I 64 West: Cincinnati, Louisville
6

Merge onto I 64; I 75

4.1 mi · 4 min · I 64; I 75
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 64

17 mi · 17 min · I 64
Toward I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 58 Toward US 60: Versailles, Frankfort Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

233 ft · 7 sec
Toward Frankfort
10

Merge onto US 60

1.1 mi · 1 min · Versailles Road
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 24 sec
12

Turn straight onto KY 676

1.8 mi · 2 min · East-West Connector
13

Turn right onto KY 1659

0.8 mi · 1 min · Martin Luther King Drive
14

Turn left onto US 60

0.7 mi · 1 min · East Main Street
15

Turn right onto East Broadway Street

449 ft · 21 sec · East Broadway Street
16

Turn right onto KY 420

465 ft · 16 sec · High Street
17

Turn left onto West Clinton Street

245 ft · 7 sec · West Clinton Street
18

Turn right onto Elk Alley

443 ft · 19 sec · Elk Alley
19

Arrive at destination

Elk Alley

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 24.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Floyd Drive

At end of road, turn right onto Floyd Drive

Navigation decision point

6
1.7 mi into trip | ~3m in | US 27; US 68 / North Broadway

Turn right onto US 27; US 68 / North Broadway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
8
7.4 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 64

Keep slight left at fork onto I 64 toward I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville
8
24.1 mi into trip | ~29m in

Take the exit toward US 60: Versailles, Frankfort

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 58 Toward US 60: Versailles, Frankfort
6
24.3 mi into trip | ~29m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Frankfort

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward Frankfort

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.60 one way

$9.19 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $5.05 $10.09
premium $4.89 $5.66 $11.32
diesel $5.61 $6.49 $12.98

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.8 0 $3.09 $1.41
Efficient EV 7.4 0 $2.57 $1.18
EV Truck/SUV 11.8 0 $4.12 $1.88

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Morning in Lexington-Fayette on Sunday

Local time

10:55 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Frankfort, KY

Morning in Frankfort on Sunday

Local time

10:55 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°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

23 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

38m 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 route is predominantly highway-focused, with 71% of the drive on interstate or major roadways. You'll experience a consistent driving pace for the majority of the trip, including a longest stretch of 20.7 miles on I 64. Expect a smooth journey with minimal interruptions, as the main roads like I 64, East-West Connector, and East New Circle Road are designed for efficient travel. The character remains largely highway-centric throughout, offering a predictable and quick transit.

71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.7 mi on I 64.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and East-West Connector. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Floyd Drive.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 29.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Floyd Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 27; US 68 / North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. 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.

On the drive from Lexington-Fayette, KY to Frankfort, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Louisville along the way.

Louisville

2.9 mi in | ~5m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 29.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 20.7 miles on I 64. 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 Frankfort, 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: at 0.1 miles (Floyd Drive): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 27; US 68 / North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Frankfort, 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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