Trip from Malvern, AR to Kentucky, AR

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

35m

Distance

27.4 mi

44 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min

4 AM

0h 32m ★

6 AM

0h 35m

8 AM

0h 41m

10 AM

0h 37m

12 PM

0h 37m

3 PM

0h 37m

5 PM

0h 41m

8 PM

0h 33m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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city in and county seat of Hot Spring County, Arkansas, United States

Malvern, AR

Wikimedia Commons

Kentucky, AR

Owen.outdoors

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick excursion through Arkansas, the 27.4-mile trip from Malvern to Kentucky is an efficient option. Expect to spend about 35 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal one-day drive that requires no overnight stops. Your journey utilizes a combination of US 270, Old Hot Springs Highway, and I-30 to connect these two Southeast locales. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, it is a very economical route for your travel plans. Since the entire drive stays within the state of Arkansas, you will find the logistics straightforward and manageable for a short-term outing.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 270	16 mi	16m
Old Hot Springs Highway	5.5 mi	9m
I 30	2.6 mi	2m
Martin Luther King Boulevard	1.3 mi	2m
South Main Street	0.6 mi	<1m
Oliver Lancaster Boulevard	0.4 mi	<1m
West Carpenter Street	0.4 mi	<1m
Martin Luther King Road	0.3 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: US 270 — 16 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Malvern, AR and Kentucky, AR.

Start on this road

206 ft · 17 sec · this road

Turn right

79 ft · 11 sec

Turn left onto US 270B

0.6 mi · 53 sec · South Main Street

Continue on US 270B

1.3 mi · 2 min · Martin Luther King Boulevard

Continue on US 270B

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Oliver Lancaster Boulevard

Continue on US 270B

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Martin Luther King Road

Take the ramp onto US 270

16 mi · 16 min · US 270

Continue on I 30; US 67; US 70

2.6 mi · 2 min · I 30; US 67; US 70

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 12 sec

Toward AR 5, AR 35: Benton

Turn slight right

0.1 mi · 36 sec

At end of road, turn left onto AR 35

0.4 mi · 39 sec · West Carpenter Street

Continue on AR 5

5.5 mi · 9 min · Old Hot Springs Highway

Arrive at destination

AR 5

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 21.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 270B / South Main Street

Turn left onto US 270B / South Main Street

Navigation decision point

2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in | US 270

Take the ramp onto US 270

Navigation decision point

21.2 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward AR 5, AR 35: Benton

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward AR 5, AR 35: Benton

21.5 mi into trip | ~24m in | AR 35 / West Carpenter Street

At end of road, turn left onto AR 35 / West Carpenter Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.14 one way

$8.28 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.21	$4.54	$9.09
premium	$4.56	$4.92	$9.84
diesel	$5.61	$6.05	$12.10

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

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

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	8.2	$2.88	$1.32
Efficient EV	6.9	$2.40	$1.10
EV Truck/SUV	11	$3.84	$1.75

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 16, 2026

Origin

Malvern, AR

Late night in Malvern on Tuesday

Local time

3:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

81°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SSW 5 mph 30% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 16 at 4:25PM CDT until April 16 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 16 at 4:19PM CDT until April 16 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN

Destination

Kentucky, AR

Late night in Kentucky on Tuesday

Local time

3:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

82°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SSW 5 mph 28% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 16 at 4:25PM CDT until April 16 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 16 at 4:19PM CDT until April 16 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Memphis TN

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

1 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

35m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This trip is a highway-focused drive, with 68% of your journey spent on high-speed thoroughfares. You will navigate a variety of road types, transitioning from the interstate to local highways as you move between destinations. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 16-mile segment on US 270, providing a steady rhythm to your drive. Expect the character of the road to shift as you merge onto different segments, requiring you to stay alert during the transition from I-30 to the more localized routes. It is a practical, no-frills drive that prioritizes speed and directness over technical or winding terrain.

68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 16 mi on US 270.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 270 and Old Hot Springs Highway. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Malvern, AR to Kentucky, AR is easy. At 35m with 68% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 270B / South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (US 270): Navigation decision point.

About the Cities

Arriving in Kentucky, AR

Full guide →

“Bluegrass State” · Founded 1792

Kentucky is a Southern state of the United States; its state capital is Frankfort. Attractions include horse racing and beautiful lakes. It is home to famous food (Kentucky Fried Chicken, Hot Brown, and Burgoo), drink (bourbon whiskey) and music (bluegrass) traditions.

Top landmarks

• United States Bullion Depository — building used for gold storage
• Creation Museum — museum
• Black Mountain — mountain in Kentucky, United States

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 35m. Total distance: 27.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

35m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (68%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 16 miles on US 270. 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: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 270B / South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (US 270): Navigation decision point.

Yes — Hot Springs National Park. 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 Kentucky, AR 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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Return Trip

Kentucky, AR to Malvern, AR

Plan the drive back the other way.

27.8 mi 35m

Explore more options from Malvern, AR or browse trips ending in Kentucky, AR.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AR road trips.

Trip from Malvern, AR to Kentucky, AR

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Malvern, AR

Kentucky, AR

Same local time

1 degrees warmer at arrival

35m on the road

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

About the Cities

Arriving in Kentucky, AR

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

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