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Trip from Richmond, KY to Paris, KY

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

48m

Distance

40.4 mi

65 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 44m ★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m

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

Best Time
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city in and the county seat of Madison County, Kentucky, United States

Richmond, KY

Wikimedia Commons

county seat of Bourbon County, Kentucky, United States

Paris, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Richmond, KY to Paris, KY covers 40.4 miles and takes about 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 75, Lexington Road, Paris Pike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22.9 miles on I 75. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.26 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 75 22.9 mi 24m
Lexington Road 8.6 mi 11m
Paris Pike 5.9 mi 6m
Main Street 1.5 mi 2m
West Main Street 0.5 mi <1m
North Broadway 0.3 mi <1m
North 2nd Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 75 — 22.9 mi, about 24m

Traffic on I-75

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,920 veh/hr typical · worst 3,605

Quietest

2 AM

~274 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

10.7×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 84 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Richmond, KY and Paris, KY.

1

Start on KY 388

104 ft · 6 sec · North 2nd Street
2

Turn right onto US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52

0.5 mi · 45 sec · West Main Street
3

Continue on US 25 Business; US 421 Business

1.6 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road
4

Turn left onto US 25; US 421

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Lexington Road
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 41 sec
6

Merge onto I 75

23 mi · 24 min · I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min
Exit 113 Toward US 27, US 68: Paris, Lexington Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Turn left onto US 27; US 68

0.3 mi · 37 sec · North Broadway
9

Continue on US 27; US 68

5.9 mi · 6 min · Paris Pike
10

Continue on US 27; US 68

6.8 mi · 8 min · Lexington Road
11

Continue on US 68 Business

1.5 mi · 2 min · Main Street
12

Turn left

223 ft · 16 sec
13

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in and county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lexington-Fayette, KY

20 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

Monterey, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.2 miles from Richmond, 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

4 of 4

4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 40.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street

Turn right onto US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street

Navigation decision point

5
2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in | I 75

Merge onto I 75

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
25.6 mi into trip | ~29m in

Take the exit toward US 27, US 68: Paris, Lexington

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 113 Toward US 27, US 68: Paris, Lexington
4
40.4 mi into trip | ~48m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.26 one way

$12.53 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $6.87 $13.74
premium $4.93 $7.84 $15.68
diesel $5.60 $8.91 $17.81

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.1 0 $4.24 $1.94
Efficient EV 10.1 0 $3.54 $1.62
EV Truck/SUV 16.2 0 $5.66 $2.59

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.

Forecast as of May 8, 2026

Origin

Richmond, KY

Late night in Richmond on Saturday

Local time

3:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

39°F

Clear

SW 3 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 8:45PM EDT by NWS Jackson KY

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 2:01PM EDT by NWS Jackson KY

Destination

Paris, KY

Late night in Paris on Saturday

Local time

3:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

39°F

Clear

S 3 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 8:45PM EDT by NWS Jackson KY

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 2:01PM EDT by NWS Jackson KY

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

48m 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?

40.4 mi in 48m — 57% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: I 75.

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: 22.9 mi on I 75.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Richmond, KY to Paris, KY is easy. At 48m with 57% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,063 ft 832 ft

Total Climb

347 ft

Total Descent

454 ft

Highest Point

1,063 ft

~20.2 mi in

Elevation Range

231 ft

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 Richmond, KY to Paris, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Lexington along the way.

Lexington

25.6 mi in | ~29m

About the Cities

Starting in Richmond, KY

Full guide →

Founded 1798

Richmond is a city in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky, about 30 miles (50 km) south of Lexington. The county seat of Madison County, Richmond is best known as the home of Eastern Kentucky University.

Top landmarks

  • • White Hall — house in Richmond, Kentucky
  • • Madison County Courthouse — courthouse in Kentucky, United States
  • • Downtown Richmond Historic District — historic district in Richmond, Kentucky

Arriving in Paris, KY

Full guide →

Founded 1775

Paris is in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky.

Top landmarks

  • • Paris Cemetery — cemetery in Paris, Kentucky
  • • Bourbon County Courthouse — courthouse in Kentucky, United States
  • • Paris Courthouse Square Historic District — historic district 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 48m. Total distance: 40.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

48m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (57%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 22.9 miles on I 75. 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 (US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Camp Nelson National Monument. 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 Paris, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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