Origin
Richmond, KY
Morning in Richmond on Tuesday
Local time
8:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Richmond, KY to Union, KY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 44m
Distance
93.6 mi
151 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 37m
★
6 AM
1h 45m
8 AM
2h 0m
10 AM
1h 50m
12 PM
1h 49m
3 PM
1h 51m
5 PM
1h 59m
8 PM
1h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Richmond, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Union, KY
Atlantic Ambience
Trip Overview
Richmond, KY to Union, KY is 93.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 44 minutes via I 75 and Mount Zion Road, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Kentucky, traversing the Southeast region for its entirety. Given its primarily highway nature and short duration, it’s a straightforward trip. You'll find it to be a practical choice for a quick hop between these two points, with most of your travel time spent on the interstate.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.8 miles from Richmond, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 87.7 mi | 1h 34m |
| Mount Zion Road | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Lexington Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| West Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Old Union Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Union School Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 2nd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 87.7 mi, about 1h 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Richmond, KY and Union, 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
27 mi
·
29 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 75
60 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
I 75
Toward I 75 North: Cincinnati
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 178
Toward KY 536: Mount Zion Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
211 ft
·
5 sec
10
Continue on KY 536
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Mount Zion Road
Toward KY 536 East
11
Enter roundabout onto KY 536
184 ft
·
3 sec
·
Mount Zion Road
12
Continue on KY 536
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Mount Zion Road
13
Enter roundabout onto Old Union Road
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
Old Union Road
14
Continue on Old Union Road
369 ft
·
12 sec
·
Old Union Road
15
Turn right onto Union School Road
148 ft
·
6 sec
·
Union School Road
16
Arrive at destination
Union School Road
Trip Plan
For this 1 hour and 44-minute drive, leaving in the morning or early afternoon should give you plenty of daylight. Since the total distance is under 100 miles and the fuel cost is estimated at $15, you won't need extensive planning for stops. The longest stretch is on I 75, so keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you get too far into that segment. The flexibility of this shorter route means you can depart and arrive with ease, making it ideal for a spontaneous trip.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 46.8 miles from Richmond, KY, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 87.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 21 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.8 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Union, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Richmond, KY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Richmond, KY
This is one driving day of about 93.6 miles and 1h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Richmond, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 87.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
47 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 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 46.8 miles from Richmond, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 75 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 87.7 miles.
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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 93.6 — 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.
7
30.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 75
Keep slight right at fork onto I 75 toward I 75 North: Cincinnati
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North: Cincinnati
7
90.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 38m in
Take the exit toward KY 536: Mount Zion Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 178
Toward KY 536: Mount Zion Road
5
93.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 44m in
|
Union School Road
Turn right onto Union School Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.63 one way
$29.27 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
33 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $16.07 | $32.13 |
| premium | $4.89 | $18.01 | $36.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $20.67 | $41.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 28.1 | 0 | $9.83 | $4.49 |
| Efficient EV | 23.4 | 0 | $8.19 | $3.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 37.4 | 0 | $13.10 | $5.99 |
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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
Union, KY
Morning in Union on Tuesday
Local time
8:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
21 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
1h 44m 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 to spend 94% of your time on highways, with a substantial 87.7-mile stretch on I 75. This means you'll be on the interstate for the vast majority of your drive. The transition to surface roads like Mount Zion Road and Lexington Road will occur closer to your destination. The density of exits on I 75 will be noticeable, requiring you to be aware of upcoming interchanges.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 87.7 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and Mount Zion Road. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main 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 93.6 miles you will encounter 8 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: 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 30.1 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Richmond, KY
Full guide →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.
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 1h 44m. Total distance: 93.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 87.7 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 30.1 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Union, 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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