How far is Lexington, KY from Carlisle, KY?

The driving distance from Lexington, KY to Carlisle, KY is about 39.3 miles (63.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 55m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 33.1 miles (53.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 50m 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
39.31 mi
00h 55m
Flight
33.13 mi
53.32 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lexington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
33.13 mi
Kilometers
53.32 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
39.31 mi
Kilometers
63.27 km
Drive Time
00h 55m

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 55m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Carlisle
Sun, Apr 12, 10:21 AM EDT
Return by in Lexington
Sun, Apr 12, 11:16 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lexington
2026-04-12T09:26
Arrive Carlisle
Sun, Apr 12, 10:21 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 55m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:55 AM to 10:55 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:40 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lexington
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Monterey
KY

City in Kentucky, United States

From Lexington
19.6 mi
00h 27m
To Carlisle
19.7 mi
00h 27m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 12 mph S
Destination
82°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 1:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 14 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lexington and Carlisle.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lexington and Carlisle.

  1. 1

    Start on Coldstream Drive

    80 m · 14 sec · Coldstream Drive

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Gainesway Drive

    675 ft · 22 sec · Gainesway Drive

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Pimlico Parkway

    1.4 km · 2 min · Pimlico Parkway

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Yellowstone Parkway

    1777 ft · 45 sec · Yellowstone Parkway

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Alumni Drive

    1137 ft · 32 sec · Alumni Drive

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right toward KY 4 East

    1648 ft · 43 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto New Circle Road

    5.2 mi · 9 min · New Circle Road

  8. 8

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    1.4 mi · 3 min · North Broadway

  9. 9

    Continue on Paris Pike

    5.9 mi · 7 min · Paris Pike

  10. 10

    Continue on Lexington Road

    6.8 mi · 9 min · Lexington Road

  11. 11

    Continue on Main Street

    2.6 mi · 4 min · Main Street

  12. 12

    Continue on Millersburg Road

    6.9 mi · 8 min · Millersburg Road

  13. 13

    Continue on Millersburg Bypass

    2.1 mi · 2 min · Millersburg Bypass

  14. 14

    Continue on US 68

    2.2 mi · 2 min · US 68

  15. 15

    Continue on Carlisle Bypass

    2661 ft · 44 sec · Carlisle Bypass

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Concrete Road

    3.3 mi · 6 min · Concrete Road

  17. 17

    Continue on West Main Street

    2817 ft · 56 sec · West Main Street

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lexington and Carlisle.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

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.

Directions
18 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
45.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Millersburg Road
6.92 mi · 18%
Lexington Road
6.79 mi · 17%
Paris Pike
5.87 mi · 15%
New Circle Road
5.2 mi · 13%
Concrete Road
3.28 mi · 8%
Main Street
2.59 mi · 7%
Longest Stretch

Millersburg Road

Continue on Millersburg Road

6.92 mi · 00h 08m

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 55m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.2 mi
33.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Monterey
00h 27m from Lexington
Leave By
4:40 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Lexington and Mostly Sunny near Carlisle.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lexington to Carlisle?

The road trip is about 39.3 miles (63.3 km) and usually takes 00h 55m 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?

Monterey is a useful midpoint, sitting about 19.6 miles from Lexington and 19.7 miles from Carlisle.

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

The direct path is about 33.1 miles (53.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.2 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 4:40 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.24 one way or $10.48 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Lexington and Mostly Sunny near Carlisle.

Stop Ideas Near Monterey

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

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

RAIL

Maysville

71 mi away
West Front St & Rosemary Clooney St
RAIL

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

105 mi away
1301 Western Ave.
BUS

Cincinnati, OH

105 mi away
1005 Gilbert Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lexington and Carlisle. Straight-line distance: 33.13 mi (53.32 km).

Lexington

#1 Lexington

The second most populous city in Kentucky.

Population225,366
Coordinates37.9886900, -84.4777200
Altitude295
CountryUnited States
Carlisle

#2 Carlisle

County seat in Kentucky

Population2,059
Coordinates38.3120200, -84.0274300
Altitude262
CountryUnited States
Start: Lexington (-84.47772, 37.98869)
End: Carlisle (-84.02743, 38.31202)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 63 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 18m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 47m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 33m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.39 gal
5.25 L · about $5.24
Round trip
$10.48
2.78 gal · 10.5 L
Estimated CO2
12.4 kg one way
Round trip: 24.7 kg / 54 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.24 $10.48
Mid-grade $4.25 $5.91 $11.82
Premium $4.65 $6.47 $12.94
Diesel $5.30 $7.37 $14.75

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 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Lexington and Carlisle. The current time is 09:26:21.

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.