How far is Nicholasville, KY from Franklin, KY?

The driving distance from Nicholasville, KY to Franklin, KY is about 173.5 miles (279.3 km), with a travel time of about 03h 15m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 136.1 miles (219.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 30m 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
173.57 mi
03h 15m
Flight
136.15 mi
219.12 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Nicholasville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
136.15 mi
Kilometers
219.12 km
Flight Time
00h 16m

Driving Distance

Road route
173.57 mi
Kilometers
279.33 km
Drive Time
03h 15m

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 15m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Franklin
Sat, Apr 11, 11:56 AM CDT
Return by in Nicholasville
Sat, Apr 11, 4:12 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Nicholasville
2026-04-11T09:41
Arrive Franklin
Sat, Apr 11, 12:56 PM EDT
Route Timing
03h 15m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
8:15 AM to 10:15 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
10:30 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Nicholasville
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
Elizabethtown
KY

County seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States

From Nicholasville
86.7 mi
01h 37m
To Franklin
86.8 mi
01h 37m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Saturday

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 2:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph NE
Destination
81°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 1:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Nicholasville and Franklin.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Nicholasville and Franklin.

  1. 1

    Start on North Main Street

    641 ft · 20 sec · North Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Oak Street

    932 ft · 20 sec · West Oak Street

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto North 3rd Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · North 3rd Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Keene Road

    5.1 mi · 7 min · Keene Road

  5. 5

    Continue on Keene Road

    860 ft · 20 sec · Keene Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Pinchard Pike

    1974 ft · 40 sec · Pinchard Pike

  7. 7

    Continue on Keene-Versailles Road

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Keene-Versailles Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Pinckard Pike

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Pinckard Pike

  9. 9

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Troy Pike

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Troy Pike

  10. 10

    Take the ramp slight left

    1839 ft · 45 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Bluegrass Parkway

    67.6 mi · 1 hr 13 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    86.8 mi · 1 hr 33 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 100: Scottsville, Franklin

    1279 ft · 31 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Scottsville Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Scottsville Road

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Rapids Road

    78 m · 10 sec · Rapids Road

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Scottsville Road

    3226 ft · 1 min · Scottsville Road

  18. 18

    Continue on East Cedar Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · East Cedar Street

  19. 19

    Turn right onto North Water Street

    30 m · 4 sec · North Water Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Water Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Nicholasville and Franklin.

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
20 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Bluegrass Parkway
155 mi · 89%
Keene Road
5.31 mi · 3%
Pinckard Pike
4.47 mi · 3%
Keene-Versailles Road
2.13 mi · 1%
Scottsville Road
1.73 mi · 1%
Troy Pike
1.61 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Bluegrass Parkway

Merge slight left

86.8 mi · 01h 33m

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 15m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+37.4 mi
136.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Elizabethtown
01h 37m from Nicholasville
Leave By
10:30 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Nicholasville and Sunny near Franklin.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Nicholasville to Franklin?

The road trip is about 173.5 miles (279.3 km) and usually takes 03h 15m 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?

Elizabethtown is a useful midpoint, sitting about 86.7 miles from Nicholasville and 86.8 miles from Franklin.

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

The direct path is about 136.1 miles (219.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 37.4 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 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:30 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $23.08 one way or $46.16 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 54.4 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Nicholasville and Sunny near Franklin.

Stop Ideas Near Elizabethtown

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

63 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Nicholasville and Franklin. Straight-line distance: 136.15 mi (219.12 km).

Nicholasville

#1 Nicholasville

City in Kentucky

Population30,888
Coordinates37.8806300, -84.5730000
Altitude286
CountryUnited States
Franklin

#2 Franklin

City in and county seat of Simpson County, Kentucky, United States

Population9,046
Coordinates36.7222600, -86.5772200
Altitude216
CountryUnited States
Start: Nicholasville (-84.573, 37.88063)
End: Franklin (-86.57722, 36.72226)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 279 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 46m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 53m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 28m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.12 gal
23.18 L · about $23.08
Round trip
$46.16
12.24 gal · 46.36 L
Estimated CO2
54.4 kg one way
Round trip: 108.8 kg / 240 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $23.08 $46.16
Mid-grade $4.25 $26.03 $52.06
Premium $4.65 $28.48 $56.96
Diesel $5.30 $32.46 $64.92

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 11, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Nicholasville, KY and Franklin, KY. The current time in Nicholasville is 09:41:24, although it is 08:41:24 in Franklin.

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.