Origin
Louisville, KY
Morning in Louisville on Sunday
Local time
8:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Louisville, KY to Elizabethtown, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
44.3 mi
71 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Louisville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabethtown, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from Louisville to Elizabethtown, you are looking at a straightforward 44.8-mile trip that typically takes about 47 minutes. Since both cities are located within the Southeast region of Kentucky, the transition is seamless and well-suited for a simple day trip. You won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay for this short distance. With a fuel cost of approximately $7, it is an economical choice for a weekend outing or a quick change of scenery. Because this route involves zero scheduled stops, you have the flexibility to manage your own pace entirely.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 65 | 41.1 mi | 46m |
| North Mulberry Street | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| West Liberty Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South 6th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Jefferson Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 41.1 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Louisville, KY and Elizabethtown, 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
41 mi
·
46 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 94
Toward US 62, KY 61: Elizabethtown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
166 ft
·
4 sec
Toward US 62: Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto US 62; KY 61
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
North Mulberry Street
10
Arrive at destination
US 62; KY 61
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.1 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 42.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
41.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward US 62, KY 61: Elizabethtown
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 94
Toward US 62, KY 61: Elizabethtown
8
42.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 62: Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 62: Kentucky High School Basketball H...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.93 one way
$13.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.60 | $15.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.53 | $17.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.78 | $19.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.13 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.88 | $1.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.20 | $2.84 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Elizabethtown, KY
Morning in Elizabethtown on Sunday
Local time
8:00 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
2 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
52m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul, as this route maintains a zero percent highway share. You will navigate through city infrastructure, beginning on South 6th Street before transitioning through West Liberty Street and South 1st Street. Because the route relies on local roads, you should prepare for a more hands-on driving experience with frequent turns rather than a monotonous cruise. This profile creates a unique, localized feel that keeps you engaged with the road throughout the entire 47-minute duration.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.1 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and North Mulberry Street. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West Liberty Street.
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 44.3 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 0.1 miles (West Liberty Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (South 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: 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.
Arriving in Elizabethtown, KY
Full guide →Elizabethtown is a small town in the Kentucky Derby Region. Abraham Lincoln's parents Thomas and Nancy had their daughter Sarah here in 1807 and then Abraham nearby at Sinking Spring Farm in 1809.
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 52m. Total distance: 44.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.1 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: at 0.1 miles (West Liberty Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (South 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elizabethtown, 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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