How far is Nicholasville, KY from Louisville, KY?

The driving distance from Nicholasville, KY to Louisville, KY is about 80.1 miles (128.9 km), with a travel time of about 01h 29m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 69.5 miles (111.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 58m 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
80.1 mi
01h 29m
Flight
69.51 mi
111.86 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Nicholasville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
69.51 mi
Kilometers
111.86 km
Flight Time
00h 08m

Driving Distance

Road route
80.1 mi
Kilometers
128.91 km
Drive Time
01h 29m

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 29m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Louisville
Tue, May 12, 10:47 PM EDT
Return by in Nicholasville
Wed, May 13, 12:16 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Nicholasville
2026-05-12T21:17
Arrive Louisville
Tue, May 12, 10:47 PM EDT
Route Timing
01h 29m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:29 AM to 11:29 AM EDT

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

Leave by
3:32 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Nicholasville
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
Shelbyville
KY

Township in Shelby County, Illinois

From Nicholasville
40 mi
00h 44m
To Louisville
40.1 mi
00h 44m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph S
Destination
80°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 8 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Troy Pike

  10. 10

    Continue on South Main Street

    1.4 mi · 2 min · South Main Street

  11. 11

    Continue on Frankfort Street

    3039 ft · 52 sec · Frankfort Street

  12. 12

    Continue straight

    144 m · 8 sec

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Frankfort Road

    6 mi · 7 min · Frankfort Road

  14. 14

    Continue on Frankfort Highway

    1.8 mi · 2 min · Frankfort Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on Versailles Road

    1.3 km · 1 min · Versailles Road

  16. 16

    Turn left

    1691 ft · 43 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left

    52.9 mi · 1 hr

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward 3rd Street, River Road, Downtown

    1223 ft · 30 sec

  19. 19

    Continue on North 3rd Street

    1839 ft · 40 sec · North 3rd Street

  20. 20

    Turn right onto West Jefferson Street

    1181 ft · 44 sec · West Jefferson Street

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Jefferson Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
21 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
26.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Versailles Road
53.7 mi · 67%
Frankfort Road
6.05 mi · 8%
Keene Road
5.31 mi · 7%
Pinckard Pike
4.47 mi · 6%
Keene-Versailles Road
2.13 mi · 3%
Troy Pike
2.1 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Versailles Road

Merge slight left

52.9 mi · 01h 00m

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 29m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.6 mi
69.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Shelbyville
00h 44m from Nicholasville
Leave By
3:32 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Nicholasville and Sunny near Louisville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 80.1 miles (128.9 km) and usually takes 01h 29m 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?

Shelbyville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 40 miles from Nicholasville and 40.1 miles from Louisville.

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

The direct path is about 69.5 miles (111.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.6 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 3:32 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $10.67 one way or $21.34 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 25.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Nicholasville and Sunny near Louisville.

Stop Ideas Near Shelbyville

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

47 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.
RAIL

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

116 mi away
1301 Western Ave.
BUS

Cincinnati, OH

118 mi away
1005 Gilbert Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Nicholasville and Louisville. Straight-line distance: 69.51 mi (111.86 km).

Nicholasville

#1 Nicholasville

City in Kentucky

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

#2 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
Start: North Main Street (-84.572926, 37.88061)
End: West Jefferson Street (-85.759435, 38.254101)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 129 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 40m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 00m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 20m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 08m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 59m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
2.83 gal
10.7 L · about $10.67
Round trip
$21.34
5.66 gal · 21.4 L
Estimated CO2
25.2 kg one way
Round trip: 50.3 kg / 111 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $10.67 $21.34
Mid-grade $4.25 $12.04 $24.07
Premium $4.65 $13.17 $26.34
Diesel $5.30 $15.01 $30.02

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 13, 2026

There is no time difference between Nicholasville and Louisville. The current time is 21:17:59.

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.