How far is Louisville, KY from Covington, KY?

The driving distance from Louisville, KY to Covington, KY is about 98.4 miles (158.4 km), with a travel time of about 01h 35m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 88.5 miles (142.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 11m 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
98.46 mi
01h 35m
Flight
88.53 mi
142.47 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Louisville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
88.53 mi
Kilometers
142.47 km
Flight Time
00h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
98.46 mi
Kilometers
158.45 km
Drive Time
01h 35m

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 01h 35m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Covington
Wed, Apr 22, 7:38 PM EDT
Return by in Louisville
Wed, Apr 22, 9:13 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Louisville
2026-04-22T18:02
Arrive Covington
Wed, Apr 22, 7:38 PM EDT
Route Timing
01h 35m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:36 AM to 11:36 AM EDT

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

Leave by
3:18 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Louisville
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
Worthville
KY

Human settlement in Carroll County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Louisville
49.2 mi
00h 47m
To Covington
49.3 mi
00h 47m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 10 mph SW
Destination
75°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on West Jefferson Street

    1611 ft · 1 min · West Jefferson Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Roy Wilkins Avenue

    535 ft · 11 sec · Roy Wilkins Avenue

  3. 3

    Take the ramp straight toward I 64 West, I 64 East: New Albany, Saint Louis, Lexington

    139 m · 11 sec

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on I 64 East: Lexington

    1063 ft · 26 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight right

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 71 North: Cincinnati

    1035 ft · 16 sec

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    76.8 mi · 1 hr 25 min

  8. 8

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

    18 mi · 22 min

  9. 9

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

    1673 ft · 41 sec

  10. 10

    Continue on Simon Kenton Way

    153 m · 19 sec · Simon Kenton Way

  11. 11

    Turn right onto West Pike Street

    3055 ft · 2 min · West Pike Street

  12. 12

    Continue on West 7th Street

    1102 ft · 35 sec · West 7th Street

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East 7th Street

Car Route Details

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

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
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
13.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 71 North
77 mi · 78%
I 75 North
18 mi · 18%
I 64 East
1.73 mi · 2%
West Pike Street
0.58 mi · 1%
12th Street
0.32 mi
West Jefferson Street
0.31 mi
Longest Stretch

I 71 North

Continue straight

76.8 mi · 01h 25m

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
01h 35m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.9 mi
88.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Worthville
00h 47m from Louisville
Leave By
3:18 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Louisville and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Covington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 98.4 miles (158.4 km) and usually takes 01h 35m 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?

Worthville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 49.2 miles from Louisville and 49.3 miles from Covington.

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

The direct path is about 88.5 miles (142.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.9 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 3:18 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $13.09 one way or $26.17 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 30.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain Showers around Louisville and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Covington.

Stop Ideas Near Worthville

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

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

RAIL

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

72 mi away
1301 Western Ave.
BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

73 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.
BUS

Cincinnati, OH

74 mi away
1005 Gilbert Avenue
RAIL

Maysville

113 mi away
West Front St & Rosemary Clooney St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Louisville and Covington. Straight-line distance: 88.53 mi (142.47 km).

Louisville

#1 Louisville

The nineteenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Louisville metropolitan area.

Population760,026
Coordinates38.2542400, -85.7594100
Altitude142
CountryUnited States
Covington

#2 Covington

The county seat of Kenton County, Kentucky.

Population40,314
Coordinates39.0836700, -84.5085500
Altitude155
CountryUnited States
Start: West Jefferson Street (-85.759435, 38.254101)
End: East 7th Street (-84.50851, 39.083683)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 158 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 16m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 58m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 38m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 24m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.47 gal
13.15 L · about $13.09
Round trip
$26.17
6.94 gal · 26.3 L
Estimated CO2
30.8 kg one way
Round trip: 61.7 kg / 136 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $13.09 $26.17
Mid-grade $4.25 $14.76 $29.52
Premium $4.65 $16.15 $32.30
Diesel $5.30 $18.40 $36.81

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 22, 2026

There is no time difference between Louisville and Covington. The current time is 18:02:39.

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.