How far is Fern Creek, KY from Frankfort, KY?

The driving distance from Fern Creek, KY to Frankfort, KY is about 49.4 miles (79.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 38.9 miles (62.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 40m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
49.43 mi
00h 50m
Flight
38.91 mi
62.62 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fern Creek.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
38.91 mi
Kilometers
62.62 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
49.43 mi
Kilometers
79.55 km
Drive Time
00h 50m

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 00h 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Frankfort
Wed, May 13, 9:39 PM EDT
Return by in Fern Creek
Wed, May 13, 10:29 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fern Creek
2026-05-13T20:48
Arrive Frankfort
Wed, May 13, 9:39 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:50 AM to 10:50 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:50 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Fern Creek
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

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
Shelbyville
KY

Township in Shelby County, Illinois

From Fern Creek
24.4 mi
00h 25m
To Frankfort
25.1 mi
00h 25m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Wednesday

Rain Showers Likely then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, May 13 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
12 to 18 mph W
Destination
76°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, May 13 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 to 17 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fern Creek and Frankfort.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fern Creek and Frankfort.

  1. 1

    Start on Fern Creek Road

    28 m · 9 sec · Fern Creek Road

  2. 2

    Continue on Fern Creek Road

    47 m · 7 sec · Fern Creek Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Jefferson Street

    987 ft · 49 sec · Jefferson Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Bardstown Road

    1 mi · 2 min · Bardstown Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 265, KY 841: Gene Snyder Freeway

    785 ft · 19 sec

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on I 265 East, KY 841 East: Gene Snyder Freeway

    2194 ft · 54 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Gene Snyder Freeway

    7.7 mi · 9 min · Gene Snyder Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 64 East: Lexington

    3233 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    34 mi · 37 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 127 North: Frankfort

    1872 ft · 46 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Lawrenceburg Road

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Lawrenceburg Road

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right

    58 m · 5 sec

  13. 13

    Turn slight right onto Louisville Road

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Louisville Road

  14. 14

    Continue on West 2nd Street

    2405 ft · 52 sec · West 2nd Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Capital Avenue

    1058 ft · 34 sec · Capital Avenue

  16. 16

    At the end of the road, turn left onto East Main Street

    48 m · 10 sec · East Main Street

  17. 17

    Turn right onto High Street

    766 ft · 23 sec · High Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto West Clinton Street

    75 m · 7 sec · West Clinton Street

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Elk Alley

    135 m · 19 sec · Elk Alley

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Elk Alley

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fern Creek and Frankfort.

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
20 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
40.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 64 East
34.6 mi · 70%
Gene Snyder Freeway
7.73 mi · 16%
Lawrenceburg Road
1.73 mi · 3%
Louisville Road
1.54 mi · 3%
Bardstown Road
1.02 mi · 2%
West 2nd Street
0.46 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 64 East

Merge slight left

34 mi · 00h 37m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 50m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.5 mi
38.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Shelbyville
00h 25m from Fern Creek
Leave By
4:50 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Rain Showers Likely then Mostly Sunny leaving Fern Creek and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Frankfort.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fern Creek to Frankfort?

The road trip is about 49.4 miles (79.5 km) and usually takes 00h 50m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Shelbyville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 24.4 miles from Fern Creek and 25.1 miles from Frankfort.

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

The direct path is about 38.9 miles (62.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.5 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:50 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $6.56 one way or $13.12 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 15.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers Likely then Mostly Sunny around Fern Creek and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Frankfort.

Stop Ideas Near Shelbyville

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

47 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.
RAIL

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

116 mi away
1301 Western Ave.
BUS

Cincinnati, OH

118 mi away
1005 Gilbert Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fern Creek and Frankfort. Straight-line distance: 38.91 mi (62.62 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Fern Creek

City in Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America

Population18,409
Coordinates38.1597900, -85.5877400
Altitude216
CountryUnited States
Frankfort

#2 Frankfort

County seat city in Franklin County, Kentucky, USA and Kentucky federated state capital city

Population27,715
Coordinates38.2009100, -84.8732800
Altitude155
CountryUnited States
Start: Fern Creek Road (-85.587746, 38.159768)
End: Elk Alley (-84.873307, 38.200921)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 80 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 38m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 14m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 59m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 49m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 42m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.74 gal
6.6 L · about $6.56
Round trip
$13.12
3.48 gal · 13.2 L
Estimated CO2
15.5 kg one way
Round trip: 30.9 kg / 68 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $6.56 $13.12
Mid-grade $4.25 $7.40 $14.80
Premium $4.65 $8.10 $16.20
Diesel $5.30 $9.23 $18.46

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 14, 2026

There is no time difference between Fern Creek and Frankfort. The current time is 20:48:54.

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.