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Trip from Versailles, KY to Richmond, KY

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

51m

Distance

39 mi

63 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 47m ★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m

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

palace in Versailles, France and location of the Museum of the History of France

Versailles, KY

Wikimedia Commons

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

Richmond, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 39-mile drive from Versailles to Richmond, Kentucky, is easily manageable in about 51 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. The route primarily utilizes I-75 and New Circle Road, with a portion on Lexington Road, offering a convenient connection between these Southeast Kentucky communities. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, this trip is very budget-friendly. The mixed drive profile suggests a blend of highway and potentially some local road travel, but the short distance means you won't be on the road for long. Given its brevity and low cost, this route offers a lot of flexibility for your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 75 13.3 mi 14m
New Circle Road 7.3 mi 9m
Lexington Road 6.6 mi 9m
Versailles Road 4.4 mi 6m
Athens Boonesboro Road 2.4 mi 2m
Richmond Road 1.5 mi 2m
Man O War Boulevard 1 mi 1m
Alumni Drive 0.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 75 — 13.3 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on US 60 Business

327 ft · 7 sec · Lexington Street
2

Continue on US 60 Business

4.4 mi · 5 min · Lexington Road
3

Continue on US 60

4.4 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road
Use the left lane.
4

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Toward KY 4 South: New Circle Road
5

Merge onto KY 4

7.3 mi · 9 min · New Circle Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Exit 16 Toward Alumni Drive
7

Turn right onto Alumni Drive

0.6 mi · 1 min · Alumni Drive
8

Turn left onto Man O War Boulevard

1.0 mi · 1 min · Man O War Boulevard
9

Turn right onto US 25; US 421

1.5 mi · 2 min · Richmond Road
Use the right lane.
10

Continue on KY 418

2.4 mi · 2 min · Athens Boonesboro Road
11

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 75 South: Knoxville
12

Merge onto I 75

13 mi · 14 min · I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Exit 90B Toward US 25 North, US 421 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Turn right onto US 25; US 421

151 ft · 8 sec · Lexington Road
15

Continue on US 25; US 421

0.5 mi · 1 min · Lexington Road
16

Continue on US 25 Business; US 421 Business

1.6 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road
17

Continue on US 25 Business; US 421 Business

0.5 mi · 51 sec · West Main Street
18

Turn left onto KY 388

104 ft · 2 sec · North 2nd Street
19

Arrive at destination

KY 388

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lexington, 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.

Popular next leg

Lexington, KY to Richmond, KY

23.4 mi · 31m

Pacing Suggestions

Berea, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lexington, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 19.5 miles from Versailles, 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 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 9.2 and 36 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
9.2 mi into trip | ~12m in | KY 4 / New Circle Road

Merge onto KY 4 / New Circle Road

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
16.5 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward Alumni Drive

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 16 Toward Alumni Drive
5
18.3 mi into trip | ~25m in | US 25; US 421 / Richmond Road

Turn right onto US 25; US 421 / Richmond Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
22.7 mi into trip | ~31m in | I 75

Merge onto I 75

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
36 mi into trip | ~46m in

Take the exit toward US 25 North, US 421 North

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 90B Toward US 25 North, US 421 North

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.10 one way

$12.19 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $6.69 $13.39
premium $4.89 $7.51 $15.01
diesel $5.61 $8.61 $17.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

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

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.7 0 $4.10 $1.87
Efficient EV 9.8 0 $3.41 $1.56
EV Truck/SUV 15.6 0 $5.46 $2.50

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 Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Versailles, KY

Late night in Versailles on Sunday

Local time

2:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Richmond, KY

Late night in Richmond on Sunday

Local time

2:01 AM

EDT

Current temp

51°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

29 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

51m 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 mixed drive on this route, with 34% of the journey on highways. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 13.3 miles on I-75, offering a chance to settle into a steady pace. The use of New Circle Road and Lexington Road indicates you'll transition from faster highway travel to potentially more localized driving as you approach your destination. This blend means you'll experience different road conditions and speeds throughout the 51-minute trip, keeping things engaging without being overly demanding.

34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on I 75.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.2 miles in near KY 4 / New Circle Road.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 39 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 9.2 miles (KY 4 / New Circle Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 18.3 miles (US 25; US 421 / Richmond Road): Lane positioning matters here.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 39 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

51m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Richmond, KY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

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 9.2 miles (KY 4 / New Circle Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 18.3 miles (US 25; US 421 / Richmond Road): Lane positioning matters here.

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 Richmond, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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