How far is Cold Spring, KY from Paducah, KY?

The driving distance from Cold Spring, KY to Paducah, KY is about 317.2 miles (510.5 km), with a travel time of about 04h 48m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 263 miles (423.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 37m 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
317.2 mi
04h 48m
Flight
262.95 mi
423.18 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Cold Spring.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
262.95 mi
Kilometers
423.18 km
Flight Time
00h 31m

Driving Distance

Road route
317.2 mi
Kilometers
510.48 km
Drive Time
04h 48m

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 48m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Paducah
Thu, Apr 23, 12:55 AM CDT
Return by in Cold Spring
Thu, Apr 23, 6:43 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Cold Spring
2026-04-22T21:06
Arrive Paducah
Thu, Apr 23, 1:55 AM EDT
Route Timing
04h 48m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:49 AM to 11:49 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
7:22 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Cold Spring
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
Sonora
KY

City in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Cold Spring
158.1 mi
02h 24m
To Paducah
159.1 mi
02h 24m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
77°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 mph W
Destination
80°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Cold Spring and Paducah.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cold Spring and Paducah.

  1. 1

    Start on Alexandria Pike

    2 mi · 4 min · Alexandria Pike

  2. 2

    Take the exit slight left toward I 275 West: Airport

    1863 ft · 46 sec

  3. 3

    Merge slight right onto Ronald Reagan Highway

    8.1 mi · 9 min · Ronald Reagan Highway

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward I 71, I 75: Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati

    1389 ft · 34 sec

  5. 5

    Keep slight left to continue on I 71 South, I 75 South: Lexington, Louisville

    1 mi · 2 min

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on I 71 South, I 75 South, KY 236 East: Lexington, Louisville, Erlanger

    1973 ft · 48 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on I 71 South, I 75 South: Lexington, Louisville

    1.1 km · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    10.3 mi · 11 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 71 South: Louisville

    71.5 mi · 1 hr 18 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight left toward I 264 West: Watterson Expressway

    2346 ft · 45 sec

  11. 11

    Continue on Henry Watterson Expressway

    10 mi · 14 min · Henry Watterson Expressway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 65, KY 61: Nashville, Indianapolis

    936 ft · 15 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 65: Nashville, Downtown Louisville, Indianapolis

    963 ft · 15 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on I 65 South: Nashville

    1 mi · 2 min

  15. 15

    Merge slight left

    38.7 mi · 42 min

  16. 16

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

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  17. 17

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

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    98 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  20. 20

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  21. 21

    Merge slight left

    37.4 mi · 40 min

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on I 24 West, I 69 South: Paducah

    16.2 mi · 18 min

  23. 23

    Keep slight right

    9.1 mi · 10 min

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward US 68: Paducah

    1898 ft · 46 sec

  25. 25

    Keep slight right to continue on US 68: Paducah

    40 m · 4 sec

  26. 26

    Turn right

    1.5 km · 1 min

  27. 27

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Kentucky Dam Road

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Kentucky Dam Road

  28. 28

    Continue on Clarks River Road

    2 mi · 3 min · Clarks River Road

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Wayne Sullivan Drive

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Wayne Sullivan Drive

  30. 30

    Continue on South 3rd Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · South 3rd Street

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Washington Street

    1471 ft · 1 min · Washington Street

  32. 32

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Washington Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Cold Spring and Paducah.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
32 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
12
5 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
136 mi · 43%
I 71 South
83.9 mi · 26%
I 65 South
39.7 mi · 13%
I 24 West
25.3 mi · 8%
Henry Watterson Expressway
9.99 mi · 3%
Ronald Reagan Highway
8.09 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Western Kentucky Parkway

Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

98 mi · 01h 45m

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 48m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+54.2 mi
263 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sonora
02h 24m from Cold Spring
Leave By
7:22 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Cold Spring and Sunny near Paducah.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Cold Spring to Paducah?

The road trip is about 317.2 miles (510.5 km) and usually takes 04h 48m 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?

Sonora is a useful midpoint, sitting about 158.1 miles from Cold Spring and 159.1 miles from Paducah.

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

The direct path is about 263 miles (423.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 54.2 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 EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:22 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $42.20 one way or $84.39 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 99.4 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Cold Spring and Sunny near Paducah.

Stop Ideas Near Sonora

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

82 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Cold Spring and Paducah. Straight-line distance: 262.95 mi (423.18 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Cold Spring

City in Minnesota, United States

Population6,628
Coordinates39.0217300, -84.4399400
Altitude264
CountryUnited States
Paducah

#2 Paducah

City in McCracken County, Kentucky, United States

Population24,883
Coordinates37.0833900, -88.6000500
Altitude104
CountryUnited States
Start: Alexandria Pike (-84.439896, 39.021761)
End: Washington Street (-88.600033, 37.083363)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 510 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 34m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 55m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 20m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 17m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 31m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 57m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.19 gal
42.37 L · about $42.20
Round trip
$84.39
22.38 gal · 84.74 L
Estimated CO2
99.4 kg one way
Round trip: 198.9 kg / 438 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $42.20 $84.39
Mid-grade $4.25 $47.59 $95.18
Premium $4.65 $52.08 $104.16
Diesel $5.30 $59.35 $118.70

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 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Cold Spring, KY and Paducah, KY. The current time in Cold Spring is 21:06:32, although it is 20:06:32 in Paducah.

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.