Origin
Louisville, KY
Morning in Louisville on Sunday
Local time
6:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Louisville, KY to Buckner, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
21.6 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 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Louisville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Buckner, KY
Vietnam Hidden Light
Trip Overview
This short, 21.6-mile drive from Louisville, KY to Buckner, KY is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking only about 28 minutes. With a 94% highway share, it's a straightforward journey primarily utilizing I-71, I-64, and KY-146. The estimated fuel cost is around $3, making it an economical option. Given its brief duration, you won't need an overnight stay, allowing for a flexible schedule. This route is a simple transit within the Southeast region, connecting two points in Kentucky without significant regional shifts.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 71 | 17.5 mi | 20m |
| I 64 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| KY 146 | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Jefferson Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Roy Wilkins Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Old Cedar Point Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 71
— 17.5 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Louisville, KY and Buckner, KY.
1
Start on West Jefferson Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
West Jefferson Street
2
Turn right onto Roy Wilkins Avenue
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Roy Wilkins Avenue
3
Take the ramp
455 ft
·
11 sec
Toward I 64 West, I 64 East: New Albany, Saint Louis, Lexington
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 64 East: Lexington
Use the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 64
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
I 64
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 6
Toward I 71 North: Cincinnati
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 71
17 mi
·
20 min
·
I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 17
Toward KY 146: Buckner
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto KY 146
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
KY 146
10
Turn left onto Old Cedar Point Road
76 ft
·
3 sec
·
Old Cedar Point Road
11
Arrive at destination
Old Cedar Point Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 19.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 64 West, I 64 East: New Albany, Saint Louis, Lexington
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 64 West, I 64 East: New Albany, Saint...
8
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 64 East: Lexington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 64 East: Lexington
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 64
Merge onto I 64
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
2.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 71 North: Cincinnati
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward I 71 North: Cincinnati
7
19.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward KY 146: Buckner
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 17
Toward KY 146: Buckner
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.38 one way
$6.75 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.71 | $7.42 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.16 | $8.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 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 | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
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
Buckner, KY
Morning in Buckner on Sunday
Local time
6:01 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
20 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
28m 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 predominantly highway-focused experience on this route, with 94% of the drive on high-speed roads. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 17.5 miles on I-71, indicating a consistent pace for a significant portion of the journey. The roads are designed for efficient travel, transitioning smoothly between I-71 and I-64 before you merge onto KY-146. This drive is less about winding scenic byways and more about direct, efficient transit.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on I 71.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and I 64. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in.
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 21.6 miles you will encounter 7 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: at 0.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 28m. Total distance: 21.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.5 miles on I 71. 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: at 0.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Buckner, 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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