How far is Covington, KY from Columbia, KY?
The driving distance from Covington, KY to Columbia, KY is about 174.5 miles (280.9 km), with a travel time of about 03h 25m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 143.6 miles (231.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 51m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
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 25m.
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.
Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Covington and Columbia.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Covington and Columbia.
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1
Start on East 7th Street
4 m · 5 sec · East 7th Street
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2
Turn right onto Scott Boulevard
2125 ft · 1 min · Scott Boulevard
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3
Turn right onto East Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
1.1 km · 2 min · East Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
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4
Continue on West 12th Street
62 m · 13 sec · West 12th Street
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5
Take the ramp left toward I 71 South, I 75 South
1766 ft · 43 sec
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6
Merge slight left
17.3 mi · 20 min
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7
Take the exit slight right toward I 71 South: Louisville
14.8 mi · 16 min
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8
Take the exit slight right toward US 127: Owenton, Glencoe
1387 ft · 41 sec
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9
Turn left
8.2 mi · 9 min
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10
At the end of the road, turn left onto Warsaw Road
7.7 mi · 9 min · Warsaw Road
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11
Continue on Roland Avenue
1517 ft · 29 sec · Roland Avenue
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12
Turn slight left onto North Main Street
1.2 mi · 2 min · North Main Street
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13
Turn right onto Frankfort Highway
24.2 mi · 27 min · Frankfort Highway
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14
Take the exit slight right
1316 ft · 36 sec
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15
Merge slight left onto Wilkinson Boulevard
1.7 mi · 2 min · Wilkinson Boulevard
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16
Turn right onto West Frankfort Connector
2.8 mi · 4 min · West Frankfort Connector
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17
Continue on Lawrenceburg Road
6.1 mi · 8 min · Lawrenceburg Road
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18
Continue on Frankfort Road
2.2 mi · 3 min · Frankfort Road
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19
Continue on Bypass North
2.5 mi · 3 min · Bypass North
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20
Continue on Old Frankfort Road
4.5 mi · 5 min · Old Frankfort Road
-
21
Continue straight
155 m · 10 sec
-
22
Take the exit right
1884 ft · 46 sec
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23
Merge slight left onto Bluegrass Parkway
16.8 mi · 18 min · Bluegrass Parkway
-
24
Take the exit slight right toward KY 555: Springfield, Lebanon
1779 ft · 46 sec
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25
Turn left onto Triple 5 Highway
13.3 mi · 15 min · Triple 5 Highway
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26
Keep slight left
29 m · 2 sec
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27
Keep slight right to continue on Triple 5 Highway
1.4 mi · 2 min · Triple 5 Highway
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28
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Western Bypass
43 m · 3 sec · Western Bypass
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29
Exit the roundabout onto Western Bypass
1.7 mi · 2 min · Western Bypass
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30
Continue on Lebanon Road
2.8 mi · 3 min · Lebanon Road
-
31
Continue on Springfield Road
2.8 mi · 3 min · Springfield Road
-
32
Turn right onto Veterans Memorial Highway
1.4 km · 1 min · Veterans Memorial Highway
-
33
Turn left
28 m · 3 sec
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34
Turn right
131 m · 6 sec
-
35
Continue on Veterans Memorial Highway
1 mi · 1 min · Veterans Memorial Highway
-
36
Turn slight right
66 m · 3 sec
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37
Turn left
40 m · 2 sec
-
38
Keep slight right
60 m · 2 sec
-
39
Turn straight onto Veterans Memorial Highway
1.2 mi · 1 min · Veterans Memorial Highway
-
40
Turn right onto Campbellsville Road
1.2 km · 54 sec · Campbellsville Road
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41
Continue on Jane Todd Crawford Trail
1.6 km · 1 min · Jane Todd Crawford Trail
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42
Continue on Campbellsville Road
2.4 mi · 3 min · Campbellsville Road
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43
Continue on New Campbellsville Road
5.3 mi · 6 min · New Campbellsville Road
-
44
Continue on New Lebanon Road
6.1 mi · 7 min · New Lebanon Road
-
45
Continue on East Broadway Street
1.7 mi · 2 min · East Broadway Street
-
46
Continue on West Broadway
1646 ft · 21 sec · West Broadway
-
47
Continue on Greensburg Road
2818 ft · 44 sec · Greensburg Road
-
48
Turn left onto New Columbia Road
10.3 mi · 12 min · New Columbia Road
-
49
Continue on Campbellsville Road
7.3 mi · 9 min · Campbellsville Road
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50
Continue on Campbellsville Street
2470 ft · 44 sec · Campbellsville Street
-
51
Enter the roundabout toward Public Square
43 m · 2 sec · Public Square
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52
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Public Square
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Covington and Columbia.
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.
Frankfort Highway
Turn right onto Frankfort Highway
24.2 mi · 00h 27m
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 Covington and Sunny near Columbia.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Covington to Columbia?
The road trip is about 174.5 miles (280.9 km) and usually takes 03h 25m 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 87.3 miles from Covington and 87.2 miles from Columbia.
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 30.9 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 10:08 AM EDT.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.23 one way or $46.46 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 54.7 kg one way.
Do you cross a time zone on this route?
Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Covington and Columbia, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around Covington and Sunny near Columbia.
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 Covington and Columbia. Straight-line distance: 143.57 mi (231.06 km).
#1 Covington
The county seat of Kenton County, Kentucky.
| Population | 40,314 |
| Coordinates | 39.0836700, -84.5085500 |
| Altitude | 155 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Columbia
City in Adair County, Kentucky, United States
| Population | 4,902 |
| Coordinates | 37.1028400, -85.3063500 |
| Altitude | 228 |
| Country | United States |
End: Columbia (-85.30635, 37.10284)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 281 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 05h 48m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 04h 21m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 03h 29m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 02h 54m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 02h 29m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 02h 10m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $3.77 | $23.23 | $46.46 |
| Mid-grade | $4.25 | $26.20 | $52.40 |
| Premium | $4.65 | $28.67 | $57.34 |
| Diesel | $5.30 | $32.67 | $65.35 |
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.