How far is Columbia, KY from Covington, KY?
The driving distance from Columbia, KY to Covington, KY is about 181.1 miles (291.4 km), with a travel time of about 03h 07m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 143.6 miles (231.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 15m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
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.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
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 07m.
An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.
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.
4th-class city in Anderson County, Kentucky, in the United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Columbia and Covington.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia and Covington.
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1
Start on Public Square
82 m · 5 sec · Public Square
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2
Exit the rotary onto Campbellsville Street
2465 ft · 44 sec · Campbellsville Street
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3
Continue on Campbellsville Road
7.3 mi · 9 min · Campbellsville Road
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4
Continue on New Columbia Road
10.2 mi · 12 min · New Columbia Road
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5
Take the exit slight right toward US 68, KY 55, KY 70: West Broadway
103 m · 9 sec
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6
Merge slight left onto West Broadway
1.3 km · 57 sec · West Broadway
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7
Continue on East Broadway Street
1.7 mi · 2 min · East Broadway Street
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8
Continue on New Lebanon Road
6.1 mi · 7 min · New Lebanon Road
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9
Continue on New Campbellsville Road
5.3 mi · 6 min · New Campbellsville Road
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10
Continue on Campbellsville Road
2.4 mi · 3 min · Campbellsville Road
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11
Continue on Jane Todd Crawford Trail
1.6 km · 1 min · Jane Todd Crawford Trail
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12
Continue on Campbellsville Road
1.2 km · 59 sec · Campbellsville Road
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13
Turn left onto Lebanon Bypass
1.2 mi · 1 min · Lebanon Bypass
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14
Turn left
46 m · 2 sec
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15
Keep slight right
51 m · 2 sec
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16
Turn straight onto Veterans Memorial Highway
1.1 mi · 1 min · Veterans Memorial Highway
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17
Turn slight right
57 m · 3 sec
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18
Turn left
94 m · 4 sec
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19
Turn straight onto Veterans Memorial Highway
1.3 km · 1 min · Veterans Memorial Highway
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20
Turn left onto Springfield Road
2.8 mi · 3 min · Springfield Road
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21
Continue on Lebanon Road
2.8 mi · 3 min · Lebanon Road
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22
Continue on Western Bypass
1.7 mi · 2 min · Western Bypass
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23
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Triple 5 Highway
36 m · 2 sec · Triple 5 Highway
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24
Exit the roundabout onto Triple 5 Highway
1.4 km · 59 sec · Triple 5 Highway
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25
Keep slight right to continue on Triple 5 Highway
2975 ft · 38 sec · Triple 5 Highway
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26
Keep slight left
34 m · 3 sec
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27
Continue on Triple 5 Highway
13.2 mi · 15 min · Triple 5 Highway
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28
Take the exit right
1530 ft · 37 sec
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29
Merge slight left onto Bluegrass Parkway
17.2 mi · 18 min · Bluegrass Parkway
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30
Take the exit slight right toward US 127 North: Lawrenceburg, Frankfort
1604 ft · 45 sec
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31
Merge slight left
1.4 mi · 2 min
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32
Continue straight
14.2 mi · 17 min
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33
Continue on West Frankfort Connector
2.8 mi · 4 min · West Frankfort Connector
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34
Turn left onto Wilkinson Boulevard
1.8 mi · 2 min · Wilkinson Boulevard
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35
Take the exit slight right
749 ft · 26 sec
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36
Turn left onto Holmes Street
108 m · 5 sec · Holmes Street
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37
Continue on Owenton Road
24.3 mi · 28 min · Owenton Road
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38
At the end of the road, turn left onto South Main Street
1.2 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
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39
Continue on Roland Avenue
1517 ft · 29 sec · Roland Avenue
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40
Continue on Warsaw Road
7.7 mi · 9 min · Warsaw Road
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41
Turn right onto Glencoe Road
8.1 mi · 9 min · Glencoe Road
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42
Take the exit right
1771 ft · 43 sec
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43
Merge slight left
14.3 mi · 15 min
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44
Keep slight left to continue on I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati
18 mi · 22 min
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45
Take the exit slight right toward 12th Street, Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Pike Street, Covington
1673 ft · 41 sec
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46
Continue on Simon Kenton Way
153 m · 19 sec · Simon Kenton Way
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47
Turn right onto West Pike Street
3055 ft · 2 min · West Pike Street
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48
Continue on West 7th Street
1102 ft · 35 sec · West 7th Street
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49
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · East 7th Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Columbia and Covington.
Interchange-aware route
The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.
Owenton Road
Continue on Owenton Road
24.3 mi · 00h 28m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
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.
Sunny leaving Columbia and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Covington.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Columbia to Covington?
The road trip is about 181.1 miles (291.4 km) and usually takes 03h 07m 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 87.5 miles from Columbia and 93.6 miles from Covington.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 143.6 miles (231.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 37.5 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 CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:44 AM CDT.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $24.10 one way or $48.19 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 56.8 kg one way.
Do you cross a time zone on this route?
Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Columbia and Covington, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around Columbia and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Covington.
Stop Ideas Near Lawrenceburg
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Lawrenceburg.
Louisville, Kentucky
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Columbia and Covington. Straight-line distance: 143.57 mi (231.06 km).
#1 Columbia
City in Adair County, Kentucky, United States
| Population | 4,902 |
| Coordinates | 37.1028400, -85.3063500 |
| Altitude | 228 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Covington
The county seat of Kenton County, Kentucky.
| Population | 40,314 |
| Coordinates | 39.0836700, -84.5085500 |
| Altitude | 155 |
| Country | United States |
End: East 7th Street (-84.50851, 39.083683)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 291 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 06h 02m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 04h 31m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 03h 37m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 03h 01m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 02h 35m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 02h 15m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $3.77 | $24.10 | $48.19 |
| Mid-grade | $4.25 | $27.18 | $54.35 |
| Premium | $4.65 | $29.74 | $59.48 |
| Diesel | $5.30 | $33.89 | $67.79 |
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
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.