How far is Ashland, KY from Owensboro, KY?

The driving distance from Ashland, KY to Owensboro, KY is about 294.6 miles (474.1 km), with a travel time of about 04h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 248.1 miles (399.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 12m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
294.62 mi
04h 36m
Flight
248.04 mi
399.18 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ashland.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
248.04 mi
Kilometers
399.18 km
Flight Time
00h 29m

Driving Distance

Road route
294.62 mi
Kilometers
474.14 km
Drive Time
04h 36m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 04h 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Owensboro
Fri, Apr 17, 2:38 PM CDT
Return by in Ashland
Fri, Apr 17, 8:14 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ashland
2026-04-17T11:02
Arrive Owensboro
Fri, Apr 17, 3:38 PM EDT
Route Timing
04h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:36 AM to 11:36 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
7:48 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Ashland
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Lawrenceburg
KY

4th-class city in Anderson County, Kentucky, in the United States

From Ashland
149.4 mi
02h 18m
To Owensboro
145.2 mi
02h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Friday

Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph W
Destination
86°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 to 8 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Ashland and Owensboro.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ashland and Owensboro.

  1. 1

    Start on 17th Street

    70 m · 14 sec · 17th Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Greenup Avenue

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Greenup Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Center Street

    1.3 km · 56 sec · Center Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Walnut Street

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Walnut Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Louisa Street

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Louisa Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Louisa Road

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Louisa Road

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right

    1682 ft · 41 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    108.6 mi · 1 hr 57 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 64 West, I 75 North: Louisville, Cincinnati

    2.4 mi · 4 min

  10. 10

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

    2152 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · North Broadway

  12. 12

    Turn right onto West New Circle Road

    5.8 mi · 8 min · West New Circle Road

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward US 60 West: Versailles

    1848 ft · 45 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Versailles Road

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  15. 15

    Continue on Lexington Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1.1 km · 1 min

  17. 17

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.6 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  19. 19

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 61 South: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on US 31W: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway West

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  23. 23

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    59.1 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward I 165 North: Owensboro

    1 km · 1 min

  25. 25

    Merge slight left

    28.2 mi · 30 min

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on US 60 East, US 231 North: Hawesville

    1792 ft · 44 sec

  27. 27

    Merge slight left onto Wendell Ford Expressway

    1.2 km · 53 sec · Wendell Ford Expressway

  28. 28

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 54

    1437 ft · 42 sec

  29. 29

    Turn left onto Leitchfield Road

    79 m · 6 sec · Leitchfield Road

  30. 30

    Continue on East Parrish Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · East Parrish Avenue

  31. 31

    Turn right onto Leitchfield Road

    1.1 km · 2 min · Leitchfield Road

  32. 32

    Turn left onto East 5th Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · East 5th Street

  33. 33

    Turn right onto Frederica Street

    997 ft · 21 sec · Frederica Street

  34. 34

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Frederica Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Ashland and Owensboro.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
34 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
13
6 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Louisa Road
110 mi · 37%
Bluegrass Parkway
72.7 mi · 25%
Western Kentucky Parkway
59.1 mi · 20%
I 165 North
28.9 mi · 10%
West New Circle Road
5.81 mi · 2%
Versailles Road
4.51 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Louisa Road

Merge slight left

109 mi · 01h 57m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 36m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+46.5 mi
248.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lawrenceburg
02h 18m from Ashland
Leave By
7:48 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny leaving Ashland and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Owensboro.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Ashland to Owensboro?

The road trip is about 294.6 miles (474.1 km) and usually takes 04h 36m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Lawrenceburg is a useful midpoint, sitting about 149.4 miles from Ashland and 145.2 miles from Owensboro.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 248.1 miles (399.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 46.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:48 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $39.22 one way or $78.44 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 92.4 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Ashland and Owensboro, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny around Ashland and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Owensboro.

Stop Ideas Near Lawrenceburg

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Lawrenceburg, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Lawrenceburg.

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

79 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ashland and Owensboro. Straight-line distance: 248.04 mi (399.18 km).

Ashland

#1 Ashland

City in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States

Population20,070
Coordinates38.4784100, -82.6379400
Altitude168
CountryUnited States
Owensboro

#2 Owensboro

The most populous city in Daviess County, Kentucky.

Population60,344
Coordinates37.7742200, -87.1133300
Altitude120
CountryUnited States
Start: 17th Street (-82.638091, 38.47849)
End: Frederica Street (-87.113495, 37.77421)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 474 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 48m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 21m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 53m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 54m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 40m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.4 gal
39.35 L · about $39.22
Round trip
$78.44
20.8 gal · 78.7 L
Estimated CO2
92.4 kg one way
Round trip: 184.8 kg / 407 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $39.22 $78.44
Mid-grade $4.25 $44.23 $88.46
Premium $4.65 $48.40 $96.80
Diesel $5.30 $55.16 $110.32

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Kentucky · Apr 17, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Ashland, KY and Owensboro, KY. The current time in Ashland is 11:02:28, although it is 10:02:28 in Owensboro.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.