How far is Clinton, KY from Louisville, KY?

The driving distance from Clinton, KY to Louisville, KY is about 251.7 miles (405 km), with a travel time of about 03h 57m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 208.5 miles (335.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 54m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
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
251.67 mi
03h 57m
Flight
208.5 mi
335.55 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Clinton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
208.5 mi
Kilometers
335.55 km
Flight Time
00h 25m

Driving Distance

Road route
251.67 mi
Kilometers
405.03 km
Drive Time
03h 57m

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 03h 57m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Louisville
Tue, May 12, 10:35 PM EDT
Return by in Clinton
Wed, May 13, 1:32 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Clinton
2026-05-12T17:37
Arrive Louisville
Tue, May 12, 9:35 PM CDT
Route Timing
03h 57m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:57 AM to 12:57 PM EDT

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

Leave by
9:06 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Clinton
9:00 PM CDT
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
Central City
KY

City in Nebraska, United States

From Clinton
125.5 mi
01h 58m
To Louisville
126.1 mi
01h 58m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph S
Destination
80°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 8 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Clinton and Louisville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clinton and Louisville.

  1. 1

    Start on North Washington Street

    725 ft · 30 sec · North Washington Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Mayfield Road

    12 mi · 21 min · Mayfield Road

  3. 3

    Continue straight

    2.4 mi · 4 min

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Purchase Parkway North: Mayfield

    778 ft · 19 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    36.9 mi · 40 min

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on I 24 East, I 69 North: Nashville, Henderson

    16.6 mi · 18 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 69 North: Elizabethtown, Princeton

    38.3 mi · 42 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1783 ft · 22 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  9. 9

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    98.9 mi · 1 hr 46 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville

    1955 ft · 48 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville

    3052 ft · 1 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    43.6 mi · 49 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward Brook Street

    934 ft · 25 sec

  14. 14

    Continue on South Brook Street

    812 ft · 35 sec · South Brook Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto West Muhammad Ali Boulevard

    2198 ft · 1 min · West Muhammad Ali Boulevard

  16. 16

    Turn right onto South 5th Street

    992 ft · 37 sec · South 5th Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto West Jefferson Street

    67 m · 8 sec · West Jefferson Street

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Jefferson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Clinton and Louisville.

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
18 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
99.2 mi · 39%
I 65 North
44.6 mi · 18%
I 69 North
38.3 mi · 15%
Purchase Parkway North
37 mi · 15%
I 24 East
16.6 mi · 7%
Mayfield Road
14.4 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

Western Kentucky Parkway

Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

98.9 mi · 01h 46m

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
03h 57m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+43.2 mi
208.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Central City
01h 58m from Clinton
Leave By
9:06 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Clinton and Sunny near Louisville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Clinton to Louisville?

The road trip is about 251.7 miles (405 km) and usually takes 03h 57m 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?

Central City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 125.5 miles from Clinton and 126.1 miles from Louisville.

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

The direct path is about 208.5 miles (335.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 43.2 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 CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:06 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $33.49 one way or $66.97 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 78.9 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Clinton and Sunny near Louisville.

Stop Ideas Near Central City

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

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

BUS

Madisonville, KY

34 mi away
4765 Hanson Road
BUS

Evansville, IN

85 mi away
119 Northwest 6th Street
BUS

Clarksville, TN

88 mi away
11 Jefferson Street \r\n

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Clinton and Louisville. Straight-line distance: 208.5 mi (335.55 km).

Clinton

#1 Clinton

City in Hickman County, Kentucky, United States of America

Population1,244
Coordinates36.6672800, -88.9934000
Altitude113
CountryUnited States
Louisville

#2 Louisville

The nineteenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Louisville metropolitan area.

Population760,026
Coordinates38.2542400, -85.7594100
Altitude142
CountryUnited States
Start: North Washington Street (-88.993617, 36.667283)
End: West Jefferson Street (-85.759435, 38.254101)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 405 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)08h 23m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 01m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 35m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.88 gal
33.62 L · about $33.49
Round trip
$66.97
17.76 gal · 67.24 L
Estimated CO2
78.9 kg one way
Round trip: 157.8 kg / 348 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $33.49 $66.97
Mid-grade $4.25 $37.77 $75.53
Premium $4.65 $41.33 $82.66
Diesel $5.30 $47.10 $94.20

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 · May 12, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Clinton, KY and Louisville, KY. The current time in Clinton is 17:37:44, although it is 18:37:44 in Louisville.

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.