How far is Lexington-Fayette, KY from Shelbyville, KY?

The driving distance from Lexington-Fayette, KY to Shelbyville, KY is about 50 miles (80.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 58m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 43.1 miles (69.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 57m 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
49.98 mi
00h 58m
Flight
43.06 mi
69.3 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lexington-Fayette.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
43.06 mi
Kilometers
69.3 km
Flight Time
00h 05m

Driving Distance

Road route
49.98 mi
Kilometers
80.44 km
Drive Time
00h 58m

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 58m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Shelbyville
Sun, Apr 19, 12:50 AM EDT
Return by in Lexington-Fayette
Sun, Apr 19, 1:49 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lexington-Fayette
2026-04-18T23:51
Arrive Shelbyville
Sun, Apr 19, 12:50 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 58m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:59 AM to 10:59 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:32 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lexington-Fayette
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
Frankfort
KY

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

From Lexington-Fayette
25 mi
00h 29m
To Shelbyville
25 mi
00h 29m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Saturday

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 to 14 mph SW
Destination
75°F
Saturday

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 to 14 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lexington-Fayette and Shelbyville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lexington-Fayette and Shelbyville.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    560 ft · 43 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Floyd Drive

    937 ft · 25 sec · Floyd Drive

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East New Circle Road

    1.4 mi · 3 min · East New Circle Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · North Broadway

  5. 5

    Turn left onto I 75 North, I 64 West: Cincinnati, Louisville

    2401 ft · 56 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    4.1 mi · 4 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville

    39.4 mi · 42 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 53: Shelbyville

    1314 ft · 34 sec

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Mount Eden Road

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Mount Eden Road

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Frankfort Road

    580 ft · 10 sec · Frankfort Road

  11. 11

    Continue on Washington Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · Washington Street

  12. 12

    Turn left onto 10th Street

    25 m · 2 sec · 10th Street

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 10th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lexington-Fayette and Shelbyville.

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
13 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
26 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 64 West
39.4 mi · 79%
I 75 North
4.55 mi · 9%
Mount Eden Road
1.84 mi · 4%
East New Circle Road
1.41 mi · 3%
North Broadway
1.19 mi · 2%
Washington Street
0.98 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 64 West

Keep slight left to continue on I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville

39.4 mi · 00h 42m

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 58m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.9 mi
43.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Frankfort
00h 29m from Lexington-Fayette
Leave By
4:32 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Lexington-Fayette and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms near Shelbyville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lexington-Fayette to Shelbyville?

The road trip is about 50 miles (80.4 km) and usually takes 00h 58m 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?

Frankfort is a useful midpoint, sitting about 25 miles from Lexington-Fayette and 25 miles from Shelbyville.

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

The direct path is about 43.1 miles (69.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.9 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:32 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $6.64 one way or $13.27 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 15.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms around Lexington-Fayette and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms near Shelbyville.

Stop Ideas Near Frankfort

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

78 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.
RAIL

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

104 mi away
1301 Western Ave.
BUS

Cincinnati, OH

106 mi away
1005 Gilbert Avenue
RAIL

Maysville

108 mi away
West Front St & Rosemary Clooney St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lexington-Fayette and Shelbyville. Straight-line distance: 43.06 mi (69.3 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Lexington-Fayette

The most populous city in Kentucky and the center of the Lexington-Fayette metropolitan area.

Population314,488
Coordinates38.0498000, -84.4585500
Altitude305
CountryUnited States
Shelbyville

#2 Shelbyville

Township in Shelby County, Illinois

Population16,790
Coordinates38.2120100, -85.2235700
Altitude232
CountryUnited States
Start: Lexington-Fayette (-84.45855, 38.0498)
End: Shelbyville (-85.22357, 38.21201)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 80 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 39m
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
1.76 gal
6.68 L · about $6.64
Round trip
$13.27
3.52 gal · 13.36 L
Estimated CO2
15.6 kg one way
Round trip: 31.3 kg / 69 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $6.64 $13.27
Mid-grade $4.25 $7.49 $14.97
Premium $4.65 $8.19 $16.38
Diesel $5.30 $9.34 $18.67

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Lexington-Fayette and Shelbyville. The current time is 23:51:26.

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.