How far is Columbia, KY from Independence, KY?
The driving distance from Columbia, KY to Independence, KY is about 166 miles (267.2 km), with a travel time of about 03h 18m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 133.7 miles (215.2 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 36m 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 18m.
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 Independence.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia and Independence.
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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 · 10 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
-
28
Take the exit right
1530 ft · 37 sec
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29
Merge slight left onto Bluegrass Parkway
26.3 mi · 28 min · Bluegrass Parkway
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30
Take the exit slight right toward KY 33: Versailles
1551 ft · 38 sec
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31
Turn left onto Troy Pike
1.5 km · 2 min · Troy Pike
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32
Continue on South Main Street
1.4 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
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33
Continue on Frankfort Street
3039 ft · 52 sec · Frankfort Street
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34
Continue straight
144 m · 8 sec
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35
Turn left onto Frankfort Road
1731 ft · 27 sec · Frankfort Road
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36
Turn right onto Midway Road
5.8 mi · 9 min · Midway Road
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37
Continue on Versailles Road
2097 ft · 35 sec · Versailles Road
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38
Continue on South Winter Street
1918 ft · 33 sec · South Winter Street
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39
Continue on Midway Road
2566 ft · 45 sec · Midway Road
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40
At the end of the road, turn right onto East Leestown Road
1147 ft · 26 sec · East Leestown Road
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41
Turn left onto Georgetown Road
84 m · 5 sec · Georgetown Road
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42
Take the ramp slight right
1896 ft · 46 sec
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43
Merge slight left
3 mi · 3 min
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44
Take the exit slight right toward US 62 East: Georgetown
1948 ft · 51 sec
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45
Turn left onto Paynes Depot Road
3.2 mi · 4 min · Paynes Depot Road
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46
Turn left onto Mc Clelland Circle
1 mi · 1 min · Mc Clelland Circle
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47
Continue on McClelland Circle
2.6 mi · 3 min · McClelland Circle
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48
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward McClelland Circle
56 m · 3 sec · McClelland Circle
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49
Exit the roundabout onto McClelland Circle
4.3 mi · 5 min · McClelland Circle
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50
Continue on Cherry Blossom Way
1.1 km · 58 sec · Cherry Blossom Way
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51
Take the exit left toward I 75 North
2670 ft · 1 min
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52
Merge slight left
41.5 mi · 44 min
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53
Take the exit slight right toward KY 14, KY 16: Verona, Walton
1301 ft · 35 sec
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54
Turn right onto Mary Grubbs Highway
1268 ft · 29 sec · Mary Grubbs Highway
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55
Turn left onto School Road
2475 ft · 1 min · School Road
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56
Continue on Stephenson Mill Road
1400 ft · 38 sec · Stephenson Mill Road
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57
Continue on Old Beaver Road
875 ft · 28 sec · Old Beaver Road
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58
At the end of the road, turn left onto North Main Street
2298 ft · 1 min · North Main Street
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59
Continue on Dixie Highway
3210 ft · 60 sec · Dixie Highway
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60
Turn left onto Walton Nicholson Road
2119 ft · 36 sec · Walton Nicholson Road
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61
Continue on Walton Nicholson Pike
4.1 mi · 6 min · Walton Nicholson Pike
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62
Turn left onto Madison Pike
1.3 mi · 2 min · Madison Pike
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63
Turn left onto Sidney Drive
74 m · 9 sec · Sidney Drive
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64
Continue on Madison Pike
1.3 mi · 2 min · Madison Pike
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65
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Madison Pike
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Columbia and Independence.
Turn-heavy local drive
The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.
I 75 North
Merge slight left
41.5 mi · 00h 44m
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.
Mostly Sunny leaving Columbia and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Independence.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Columbia to Independence?
The road trip is about 166 miles (267.2 km) and usually takes 03h 18m 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 83 miles from Columbia and 83 miles from Independence.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 133.7 miles (215.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 32.3 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 10:24 AM CDT.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $22.10 one way or $44.20 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 52.1 kg one way.
Do you cross a time zone on this route?
Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Columbia and Independence, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Columbia and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Independence.
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 Independence. Straight-line distance: 133.74 mi (215.24 km).
#1 Columbia
City in Adair County, Kentucky, United States
| Population | 4,902 |
| Coordinates | 37.1028400, -85.3063500 |
| Altitude | 228 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Independence
City in Kentucky
| Population | 28,903 |
| Coordinates | 38.9431200, -84.5441100 |
| Altitude | 274 |
| Country | United States |
End: Independence (-84.54411, 38.94312)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 267 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 05h 31m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 04h 09m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 03h 19m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 02h 46m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 02h 22m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 02h 04m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $3.77 | $22.10 | $44.20 |
| Mid-grade | $4.25 | $24.92 | $49.85 |
| Premium | $4.65 | $27.27 | $54.54 |
| Diesel | $5.30 | $31.08 | $62.16 |
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 15, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.