How far is Franklin, KY from Covington, KY?

The driving distance from Franklin, KY to Covington, KY is about 230.9 miles (371.6 km), with a travel time of about 03h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 198.3 miles (319.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 04m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
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
230.91 mi
03h 32m
Flight
198.33 mi
319.18 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Franklin.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
198.33 mi
Kilometers
319.18 km
Flight Time
00h 23m

Driving Distance

Road route
230.91 mi
Kilometers
371.62 km
Drive Time
03h 32m

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 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Covington
Thu, Apr 23, 4:39 AM EDT
Return by in Franklin
Thu, Apr 23, 7:12 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Franklin
2026-04-23T00:07
Arrive Covington
Thu, Apr 23, 3:39 AM CDT
Route Timing
03h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:32 AM to 12:32 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:56 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Franklin
9:00 PM CDT
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
Shepherdsville
KY

City in Bullitt County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Franklin
114.5 mi
01h 46m
To Covington
116.4 mi
01h 46m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 10 mph S
Destination
82°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Franklin and Covington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Franklin and Covington.

  1. 1

    Start on North Water Street

    30 m · 10 sec · North Water Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East Cedar Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · East Cedar Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Scottsville Road

    3226 ft · 1 min · Scottsville Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Rapids Road

    78 m · 11 sec · Rapids Road

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Scottsville Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Scottsville Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp left

    1557 ft · 38 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    123.4 mi · 2 hr 13 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 264: Watterson Expressway, Airport

    1.1 km · 59 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 264 East: Watterson Expressway

    1.3 km · 1 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Henry Watterson Expressway

    10 mi · 14 min · Henry Watterson Expressway

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on I 71 North: Cincinnati

    1877 ft · 32 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    71 mi · 1 hr 17 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati

    18 mi · 22 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward 12th Street, Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Pike Street, Covington

    1673 ft · 41 sec

  15. 15

    Continue on Simon Kenton Way

    153 m · 19 sec · Simon Kenton Way

  16. 16

    Turn right onto West Pike Street

    3055 ft · 2 min · West Pike Street

  17. 17

    Continue on West 7th Street

    1102 ft · 35 sec · West 7th Street

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East 7th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Franklin and Covington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
18 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Scottsville Road
126 mi · 54%
I 71 North
71.4 mi · 31%
I 75 North
18 mi · 8%
Henry Watterson Expressway
10 mi · 4%
East Cedar Street
1.36 mi · 1%
I 264 East
0.78 mi
Longest Stretch

Scottsville Road

Merge slight left

123 mi · 02h 13m

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
03h 32m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+32.6 mi
198.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Shepherdsville
01h 46m from Franklin
Leave By
9:56 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Franklin and Sunny near Covington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Franklin to Covington?

The road trip is about 230.9 miles (371.6 km) and usually takes 03h 32m 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?

Shepherdsville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 114.5 miles from Franklin and 116.4 miles from Covington.

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

The direct path is about 198.3 miles (319.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 32.6 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 9:56 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $30.73 one way or $61.47 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 72.4 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Franklin 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 Franklin and Sunny near Covington.

Stop Ideas Near Shepherdsville

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

30 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Franklin and Covington. Straight-line distance: 198.33 mi (319.18 km).

Franklin

#1 Franklin

City in and county seat of Simpson County, Kentucky, United States

Population9,046
Coordinates36.7222600, -86.5772200
Altitude216
CountryUnited States
Covington

#2 Covington

The county seat of Kenton County, Kentucky.

Population40,314
Coordinates39.0836700, -84.5085500
Altitude155
CountryUnited States
Start: North Water Street (-86.576948, 36.722222)
End: East 7th Street (-84.50851, 39.083683)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 372 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 41m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 46m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 37m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 50m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 17m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 52m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.15 gal
30.84 L · about $30.73
Round trip
$61.47
16.3 gal · 61.68 L
Estimated CO2
72.4 kg one way
Round trip: 144.9 kg / 319 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $30.73 $61.47
Mid-grade $4.25 $34.66 $69.32
Premium $4.65 $37.93 $75.86
Diesel $5.30 $43.23 $86.46

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 · Apr 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Franklin, KY and Covington, KY. The current time in Franklin is 00:07:10, although it is 01:07:10 in Covington.

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.