How far is Louisville, KY from Fort Smith, AR?
The driving distance from Louisville, KY to Fort Smith, AR is about 649.4 miles (1045.1 km), with a travel time of about 11h 52m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 517 miles (832.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 23h 44m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
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.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
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 11h 52m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
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.
Human settlement in Pemiscot County, Missouri, United States of America
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Louisville and Fort Smith.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Louisville and Fort Smith.
-
1
Start on West Jefferson Street
78 m · 16 sec · West Jefferson Street
-
2
Turn left onto South 6th Street
87 m · 15 sec · South 6th Street
-
3
Turn left onto West Liberty Street
2397 ft · 1 min · West Liberty Street
-
4
Turn right onto South 1st Street
68 m · 4 sec · South 1st Street
-
5
Take the ramp slight left toward I 65 South: Nashville
1087 ft · 27 sec
-
6
Merge slight left
43.8 mi · 49 min
-
7
Take the exit slight right toward KY 61 South: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway
1079 ft · 26 sec
-
8
Keep slight right to continue on US 31W: Elizabethtown, Paducah, Western Kentucky Parkway West
1286 ft · 32 sec
-
9
Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown
1710 ft · 42 sec
-
10
Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway
98 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway
-
11
Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway
1.3 km · 54 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway
-
12
Merge slight left
37.4 mi · 40 min
-
13
Keep slight right to continue on I 24 West, I 69 South: Paducah
16.2 mi · 18 min
-
14
Keep slight left
51.9 mi · 56 min
-
15
Take the exit slight right toward Union City, Memphis
1149 ft · 25 sec
-
16
Keep slight left to continue on Martin
58 m · 6 sec
-
17
Turn right
146 m · 6 sec
-
18
Continue straight
4.8 mi · 5 min
-
19
Continue straight
10.6 mi · 12 min
-
20
Turn right
43 m · 5 sec
-
21
Merge slight left onto West Reelfoot Boulevard
27.8 mi · 32 min · West Reelfoot Boulevard
-
22
Continue on Saint Louis
29.5 mi · 32 min
-
23
Continue straight
13.6 mi · 16 min
-
24
Turn left
1.4 mi · 2 min
-
25
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward the route
78 m · 3 sec
-
26
Exit the roundabout
56.2 mi · 1 hr 7 min
-
27
Take the exit left
94.7 mi · 1 hr 39 min
-
28
Take the exit slight right toward US 64 West, I 57 Business North: Beebe, Conway
2037 ft · 50 sec
-
29
Keep slight right to continue on US 64 West: Conway
32.6 mi · 42 min
-
30
Take the exit straight
2355 ft · 57 sec
-
31
Merge slight left
118.6 mi · 1 hr 59 min
-
32
Take the exit slight right toward I 540 South, US 71 South: Fort Smith
6.5 mi · 8 min
-
33
Take the exit slight right toward Grand Avenue
1259 ft · 34 sec
-
34
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
1.9 mi · 4 min · Grand Avenue
-
35
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Grand Avenue
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Louisville and Fort Smith.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
US 64 West
Merge slight left
119 mi · 01h 59m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Sunny leaving Louisville and Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Fort Smith.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Louisville to Fort Smith?
The road trip is about 649.4 miles (1045.1 km) and usually takes 11h 52m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Pascola is a useful midpoint, sitting about 324.4 miles from Louisville and 325 miles from Fort Smith.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 517 miles (832.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 132.4 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 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $86.39 one way or $172.79 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 203.6 kg one way.
Do you cross a time zone on this route?
Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Louisville and Fort Smith, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around Louisville and Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Fort Smith.
Stop Ideas Near Pascola
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Pascola.
Newbern–Dyersburg
Poplar Bluff
Fulton
Walnut Ridge
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Louisville and Fort Smith. Straight-line distance: 517.03 mi (832.08 km).
#1 Louisville
The nineteenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Louisville metropolitan area.
| Population | 760,026 |
| Coordinates | 38.2542400, -85.7594100 |
| Altitude | 142 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Fort Smith
The second most populous city in Sebastian County, Arkansas.
| Population | 87,764 |
| Coordinates | 35.3859200, -94.3985500 |
| Altitude | 134 |
| Country | United States |
End: Fort Smith (-94.39855, 35.38592)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 1045 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 21h 38m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 16h 14m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 12h 59m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 10h 49m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 09h 16m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 08h 06m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $3.77 | $86.39 | $172.79 |
| Mid-grade | $4.25 | $97.44 | $194.87 |
| Premium | $4.65 | $106.62 | $213.25 |
| Diesel | $5.30 | $121.51 | $243.03 |
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 · Jul 14, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.