How far is Bardstown, KY from Owensboro, KY?

The driving distance from Bardstown, KY to Owensboro, KY is about 117.6 miles (189.3 km), with a travel time of about 01h 49m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 89.9 miles (144.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
117.63 mi
01h 49m
Flight
89.92 mi
144.72 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Bardstown.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
89.92 mi
Kilometers
144.72 km
Flight Time
00h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
117.63 mi
Kilometers
189.3 km
Drive Time
01h 49m

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 01h 49m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Owensboro
Sat, Apr 18, 7:16 AM CDT
Return by in Bardstown
Sat, Apr 18, 10:06 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Bardstown
2026-04-18T06:26
Arrive Owensboro
Sat, Apr 18, 8:16 AM EDT
Route Timing
01h 49m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:50 AM to 10:50 AM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
2:50 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Bardstown
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

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
Leitchfield
KY

City in Grayson County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Bardstown
58.8 mi
00h 54m
To Owensboro
58.8 mi
00h 54m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Saturday

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 to 14 mph SW
Destination
77°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Court Square

    7 m · 1 sec · Court Square

  2. 2

    Exit the rotary

    12 m · 1 sec

  3. 3

    Turn slight right onto West Stephen Foster Avenue

    1386 ft · 31 sec · West Stephen Foster Avenue

  4. 4

    Keep slight left to continue on West Stephen Foster Avenue

    40 m · 4 sec · West Stephen Foster Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn straight onto Cathedral Manor

    2870 ft · 51 sec · Cathedral Manor

  6. 6

    Continue on New Haven Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · New Haven Road

  7. 7

    Take the ramp slight right

    1751 ft · 43 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Bluegrass Parkway

    19.9 mi · 21 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  11. 11

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

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  12. 12

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

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    59.1 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward I 165 North: Owensboro

    1 km · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left

    28.2 mi · 30 min

  17. 17

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

    1792 ft · 44 sec

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto Wendell Ford Expressway

    1.2 km · 53 sec · Wendell Ford Expressway

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 54

    1437 ft · 42 sec

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Leitchfield Road

    79 m · 6 sec · Leitchfield Road

  21. 21

    Continue on East Parrish Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · East Parrish Avenue

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Leitchfield Road

    1.1 km · 2 min · Leitchfield Road

  23. 23

    Turn left onto East 5th Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · East 5th Street

  24. 24

    Turn right onto Frederica Street

    997 ft · 21 sec · Frederica Street

  25. 25

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Frederica Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Bardstown 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
25 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
5 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
21.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
59.1 mi · 50%
I 165 North
28.9 mi · 25%
Bluegrass Parkway
22 mi · 19%
New Haven Road
1.56 mi · 1%
East Parrish Avenue
1.32 mi · 1%
East 5th Street
0.85 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Western Kentucky Parkway

Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

59.1 mi · 01h 03m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 49m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+27.7 mi
89.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Leitchfield
00h 54m from Bardstown
Leave By
2:50 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Bardstown and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Owensboro.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 117.6 miles (189.3 km) and usually takes 01h 49m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Leitchfield is a useful midpoint, sitting about 58.8 miles from Bardstown and 58.8 miles from Owensboro.

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

The direct path is about 89.9 miles (144.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 27.7 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 2:50 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $15.65 one way or $31.30 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 36.9 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms around Bardstown and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Owensboro.

Stop Ideas Near Leitchfield

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Leitchfield, 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 Leitchfield.

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

98 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.
BUS

Madisonville, KY

106 mi away
4765 Hanson Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Bardstown and Owensboro. Straight-line distance: 89.92 mi (144.72 km).

Bardstown

#1 Bardstown

City in Kentucky

Population13,302
Coordinates37.8092300, -85.4669000
Altitude197
CountryUnited States
Owensboro

#2 Owensboro

The most populous city in Daviess County, Kentucky.

Population60,344
Coordinates37.7742200, -87.1133300
Altitude120
CountryUnited States
Start: Court Square (-85.46696, 37.809322)
End: Frederica Street (-87.113495, 37.77421)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 189 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 55m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 56m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 57m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 40m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.15 gal
15.71 L · about $15.65
Round trip
$31.30
8.3 gal · 31.42 L
Estimated CO2
36.9 kg one way
Round trip: 73.8 kg / 163 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $15.65 $31.30
Mid-grade $4.25 $17.65 $35.30
Premium $4.65 $19.31 $38.63
Diesel $5.30 $22.01 $44.02

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 18, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Bardstown, KY and Owensboro, KY. The current time in Bardstown is 06:26:22, although it is 05:26:22 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.