Origin
Lexington, KY
Morning in Lexington on Tuesday
Local time
6:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lexington, KY to Richmond, KY
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
31m
Distance
23.4 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Richmond, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling the 23.4 miles from Lexington to Richmond, KY, is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 31 minutes. Because this is a quick trip within the Southeast region, you can easily complete the entire drive as a day trip without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $4 on fuel for the trek, making it a very budget-friendly excursion. The route primarily relies on I-75, Athens Boonesboro Road, and Lexington Road to connect these two cities. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a short visit, this transit is efficient and requires zero planned stops to reach your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 13.3 mi | 14m |
| Athens Boonesboro Road | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Lexington Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Richmond Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Man O War Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Pimlico Parkway | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| West Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Gainesway Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 13.3 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lexington, KY and Richmond, KY.
1
Start on Coldstream Drive
261 ft
·
13 sec
·
Coldstream Drive
2
Turn left onto Gainesway Drive
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Gainesway Drive
3
Turn left onto Pimlico Parkway
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Pimlico Parkway
4
Turn left onto Man O War Boulevard
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Man O War Boulevard
5
Turn right onto US 25; US 421
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Richmond Road
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on KY 418
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Athens Boonesboro Road
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 75 South: Knoxville
8
Merge onto I 75
13 mi
·
14 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 90B
Toward US 25 North, US 421 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto US 25; US 421
151 ft
·
8 sec
·
Lexington Road
11
Continue on US 25; US 421
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lexington Road
12
Continue on US 25 Business; US 421 Business
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Lexington Road
13
Continue on US 25 Business; US 421 Business
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Main Street
14
Turn left onto KY 388
104 ft
·
2 sec
·
North 2nd Street
15
Arrive at destination
KY 388
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Gainesway Drive
Turn left onto Gainesway Drive
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Pimlico Parkway
Turn left onto Pimlico Parkway
Navigation decision point
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
US 25; US 421 / Richmond Road
Turn right onto US 25; US 421 / Richmond Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
7.1 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 75
Merge onto I 75
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward US 25 North, US 421 North
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 90B
Toward US 25 North, US 421 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.66 one way
$7.32 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.02 | $8.03 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.50 | $9.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.17 | $10.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 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 | 7 | 0 | $2.46 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.05 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
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
Richmond, KY
Morning in Richmond on Tuesday
Local time
6:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
2 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
31m 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 31-minute commute is a highway-focused drive, with 62% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will navigate a longest uninterrupted stretch of 13.3 miles while traveling on I-75, which provides the bulk of the speed for your trip. As you transition off the interstate and onto Athens Boonesboro Road and Lexington Road, the character of the drive shifts from high-speed transit to local road navigation. It is a functional, no-nonsense route that balances the efficiency of the interstate with the necessary surface streets to reach your final point in Richmond.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and Athens Boonesboro Road. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Gainesway Drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 23.4 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Gainesway Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Pimlico Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (US 25; US 421 / Richmond Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting 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.
Arriving in Richmond, KY
Full guide →Richmond is a city in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky, about 30 miles (50 km) south of Lexington. The county seat of Madison County, Richmond is best known as the home of Eastern Kentucky University.
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 31m. Total distance: 23.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on I 75. 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: near the start (Gainesway Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Pimlico Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (US 25; US 421 / Richmond Road): 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 Richmond, 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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