How far is Lexington, KY from Madisonville, KY?

The driving distance from Lexington, KY to Madisonville, KY is about 195.5 miles (314.7 km), with a travel time of about 03h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 171.4 miles (275.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 20m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
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
195.53 mi
03h 40m
Flight
171.43 mi
275.89 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lexington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
171.43 mi
Kilometers
275.89 km
Flight Time
00h 20m

Driving Distance

Road route
195.53 mi
Kilometers
314.68 km
Drive Time
03h 40m

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 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Madisonville
Sat, May 30, 9:59 PM CDT
Return by in Lexington
Sun, May 31, 2:39 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lexington
2026-05-30T19:19
Arrive Madisonville
Sat, May 30, 10:59 PM EDT
Route Timing
03h 40m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
8:40 AM to 10:40 AM CDT

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

Leave by
9:40 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lexington
9:00 PM EDT
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
Sonora
KY

City in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Lexington
97.6 mi
01h 50m
To Madisonville
97.9 mi
01h 50m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
This Afternoon

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 3:00 PM EDT
Wind
8 mph NE
Destination
81°F
This Afternoon

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 30 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
6 mph ENE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Coldstream Drive

    80 m · 12 sec · Coldstream Drive

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Gainesway Drive

    1 mi · 2 min · Gainesway Drive

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Tates Creek Road

    1507 ft · 35 sec · Tates Creek Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto KY 4 West: New Circle Road

    2026 ft · 49 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto New Circle Road

    5.8 mi · 8 min · New Circle Road

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward US 60 West: Versailles

    1568 ft · 38 sec

  7. 7

    Continue on Versailles Road

    4.7 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Lexington Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1.1 km · 1 min

  10. 10

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.6 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  11. 11

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 61 South: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on US 31W: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway West

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    97.7 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward I 69 North: Henderson

    2909 ft · 1 min

  18. 18

    Continue straight

    1749 ft · 22 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight left

    7.3 mi · 8 min

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 70: Madisonville, Central City

    1047 ft · 22 sec

  21. 21

    Keep slight left

    29 m · 4 sec

  22. 22

    Turn left onto Anton Road

    139 m · 16 sec · Anton Road

  23. 23

    Continue on East Center Street

    2956 ft · 1 min · East Center Street

  24. 24

    Continue on East Arch Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · East Arch Street

  25. 25

    Turn left onto North Main Street

    680 ft · 14 sec · North Main Street

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Main Street

Car Route Details

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

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
26 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
4 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
13.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
97.7 mi · 50%
Bluegrass Parkway
72.7 mi · 37%
I 69 North
8.21 mi · 4%
New Circle Road
5.85 mi · 3%
Versailles Road
4.67 mi · 2%
Lexington Road
1.33 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Western Kentucky Parkway

Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

97.7 mi · 01h 45m

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 40m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+24.1 mi
171.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sonora
01h 50m from Lexington
Leave By
9:40 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Lexington and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Madisonville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 195.5 miles (314.7 km) and usually takes 03h 40m 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?

Sonora is a useful midpoint, sitting about 97.6 miles from Lexington and 97.9 miles from Madisonville.

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

The direct path is about 171.4 miles (275.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 24.1 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 9:40 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $26.02 one way or $52.04 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 61.3 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Lexington and Madisonville, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Lexington and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Madisonville.

Stop Ideas Near Sonora

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

82 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lexington and Madisonville. Straight-line distance: 171.43 mi (275.89 km).

Lexington

#1 Lexington

The second most populous city in Kentucky.

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

#2 Madisonville

County seat in Kentucky

Population18,656
Coordinates37.3281000, -87.4988900
Altitude144
CountryUnited States
Start: Lexington (-84.47772, 37.98869)
End: Madisonville (-87.49889, 37.3281)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 315 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 30m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 53m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 54m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 15m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 47m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.9 gal
26.12 L · about $26.02
Round trip
$52.04
13.8 gal · 52.24 L
Estimated CO2
61.3 kg one way
Round trip: 122.6 kg / 270 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $26.02 $52.04
Mid-grade $4.25 $29.35 $58.69
Premium $4.65 $32.11 $64.23
Diesel $5.30 $36.60 $73.20

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 30, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Lexington, KY and Madisonville, KY. The current time in Lexington is 19:19:23, although it is 18:19:23 in Madisonville.

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.