Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
16 mi
26 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nicholasville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling from Nicholasville to Lexington-Fayette is a quick, straightforward journey that covers just 16 miles. You can expect to spend about 28 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stay. Navigating this route is incredibly budget-friendly, with an estimated fuel cost of only $2. Because the entire trip stays within the Southeast region of Kentucky, you won't experience any major shifts in landscape or regional culture. It is an ideal commute for those moving between these two areas, offering a simple connection that gets you to your destination in under half an hour.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Circle Road | 7 mi | 10m |
| Lexington Road | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Nicholasville Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Main Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Floyd Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Nicholasville, KY and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
Start on US 27 Business
Turn right onto US 27
Continue on US 27
Take the exit
Merge onto KY 4
Turn left onto Floyd Drive
Turn left
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 15.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto US 27 / Lexington Road
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward KY 4 East: New Circle Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto KY 4 / New Circle Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Floyd Drive
Navigation decision point
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$2.50 one way
$5.00 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.75 | $5.49 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.08 | $6.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.53 | $7.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.68 | $0.77 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.40 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Nicholasville on Sunday
Local time
11:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Mostly Cloudy
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 19 at 4:30AM EDT by NWS Louisville KY
Destination
Morning in Lexington-Fayette on Sunday
Local time
11:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
38°F
Partly Cloudy
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 19 at 4:30AM EDT by NWS Louisville KY
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. You will primarily navigate via Lexington Road, Nicholasville Road, and KY 4 East to reach your destination. Because the highway share for this trip is 0%, you should prepare for a steady pace through local traffic rather than long, open stretches of road. The character of the drive remains consistent throughout the 16-mile journey, requiring your full attention as you move through local intersections. This route lacks long, uninterrupted highway segments, so plan for a continuous, active driving experience from start to finish.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near US 27 / Lexington Road.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 24m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (US 27 / Lexington Road): Navigation decision point; at 8.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles (KY 4 / New Circle Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Nicholasville is a city of 31,000 (2019) in Jessamine County in the Bluegrass Region. The city serves as both a residential area for Lexington-area commuters and as an employment and shopping center for central Kentucky.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 16 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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