Origin
Louisville, KY
Late night in Louisville on Sunday
Local time
12:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Louisville, 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
55m
Distance
41.1 mi
66 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Louisville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Bardstown, KY
Brady Wilson
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick getaway from Louisville, the 41.1-mile trek to Bardstown is an ideal day trip. Expect to spend about 55 minutes behind the wheel, making this a very manageable drive for a weekend outing. You will navigate a mix of thoroughfares, including I-65, New Shepherdsville Road, and Clermont Road, to reach your destination. Budgeting approximately $6 for fuel makes this an incredibly economical excursion. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region, the transition between them is seamless and familiar. Whether you need a short change of scenery or a quick regional escape, this route offers a straightforward path between these two Kentucky destinations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 23.4 mi | 27m |
| New Shepherdsville Road | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| Clermont Road | 6.6 mi | 9m |
| North 3rd Street | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| West John Rowan Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Liberty Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South 6th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Jefferson Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 23.4 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Louisville, KY and Bardstown, KY.
1
Start on West Jefferson Street
257 ft
·
16 sec
·
West Jefferson Street
2
Turn left onto South 6th Street
284 ft
·
15 sec
·
South 6th Street
3
Turn left onto West Liberty Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Liberty Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Turn right onto South 1st Street
224 ft
·
3 sec
·
South 1st Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 65 South: Nashville
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 65
23 mi
·
27 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 112
Toward KY 245: Bardstown, Clermont
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto KY 245
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Clermont Road
9
Continue on KY 245
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
New Shepherdsville Road
10
Continue on KY 245
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West John Rowan Boulevard
11
Turn right onto US 31E; US 150
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North 3rd Street
12
Enter roundabout onto US 31E; US 62; US 150
54 ft
·
0 sec
·
Court Square
13
Arrive at destination
US 31E; US 62; US 150
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.6 miles from Louisville, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 24.2 — 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
|
South 6th Street
Turn left onto South 6th Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Liberty Street
Turn left onto West Liberty Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South 1st Street
Turn right onto South 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 65 South: Nashville
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 65 South: Nashville
8
24.2 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward KY 245: Bardstown, Clermont
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 112
Toward KY 245: Bardstown, Clermont
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.43 one way
$12.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.05 | $14.11 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.91 | $15.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.07 | $18.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.32 | $1.97 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.60 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.75 | $2.63 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Bardstown, KY
Late night in Bardstown on Sunday
Local time
12:27 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
23 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
55m 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 journey offers a mixed driving profile, balancing high-speed interstate travel with more localized road sections. You will spend roughly 57 percent of your time on highways, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 23.4 miles along I-65. As you transition off the interstate and onto New Shepherdsville Road and Clermont Road, the character of the drive shifts from a standard highway grind to a more varied local experience. Expect the pace to change as you leave the heavy traffic of the interstate behind. It is a functional drive that requires your attention as you move between different road types.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.4 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 6th Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 55m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West Liberty Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (South 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from Louisville, KY to Bardstown, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Clermont along the way.
Clermont
24.2 mi in
|
~29m
About the Cities
Starting in Louisville, KY
Full guide →Louisville, the largest city in Kentucky, is known for the Kentucky Derby horserace and as the "gateway to the south" from southern Indiana. It's a lively mid-sized city with an excellent dining scene, ample opportunities for bourbon tasting, and interesting public art. Louisville is also the namesake of the Official Bat of Major League Baseball — the Louisville Slugger.
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 55m. Total distance: 41.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.4 miles on I 65. 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 (South 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West Liberty Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (South 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here.
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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