How far is Nicholasville, KY from Princeton, KY?

The driving distance from Nicholasville, KY to Princeton, KY is about 210.5 miles (338.8 km), with a travel time of about 03h 55m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 189 miles (304.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 50m 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
210.49 mi
03h 55m
Flight
189.05 mi
304.25 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
189.05 mi
Kilometers
304.25 km
Flight Time
00h 22m

Driving Distance

Road route
210.49 mi
Kilometers
338.75 km
Drive Time
03h 55m

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 55m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Princeton
Thu, Apr 23, 6:07 AM CDT
Return by in Nicholasville
Thu, Apr 23, 11:02 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Nicholasville
2026-04-23T03:11
Arrive Princeton
Thu, Apr 23, 7:07 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 55m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
8:55 AM to 10:55 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
9:10 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
Clarkson
KY

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

From Nicholasville
105.1 mi
01h 57m
To Princeton
105.4 mi
01h 57m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph SW
Destination
81°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 to 10 mph S

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  14. 14

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

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  15. 15

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

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    98 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  18. 18

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  19. 19

    Merge slight left

    24 mi · 26 min

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 293: Providence, Princeton

    1864 ft · 32 sec

  21. 21

    Turn straight

    1.8 mi · 3 min

  22. 22

    Enter the roundabout toward East Market Street

    7 m · 1 sec · East Market Street

  23. 23

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Market Street

Car Route Details

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

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
23 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
4 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
123 mi · 58%
Bluegrass Parkway
69.7 mi · 33%
Keene Road
5.31 mi · 3%
Pinckard Pike
4.47 mi · 2%
Keene-Versailles Road
2.13 mi · 1%
Troy Pike
1.61 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Western Kentucky Parkway

Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

98 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 55m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+21.5 mi
189 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Clarkson
01h 57m from Nicholasville
Leave By
9:10 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Nicholasville and Sunny near Princeton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 210.5 miles (338.8 km) and usually takes 03h 55m 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?

Clarkson is a useful midpoint, sitting about 105.1 miles from Nicholasville and 105.4 miles from Princeton.

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

The direct path is about 189 miles (304.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 21.5 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 9:10 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $28.02 one way or $56.04 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 66 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Clarkson

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

93 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.
BUS

Madisonville, KY

113 mi away
4765 Hanson Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Nicholasville and Princeton. Straight-line distance: 189.05 mi (304.25 km).

Nicholasville

#1 Nicholasville

City in Kentucky

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

#2 Princeton

City in Caldwell County, Kentucky, United States

Population6,063
Coordinates37.1092200, -87.8819600
Altitude147
CountryUnited States
Start: Nicholasville (-84.573, 37.88063)
End: Princeton (-87.88196, 37.10922)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 339 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 00m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 15m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 12m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 00m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.43 gal
28.12 L · about $28.02
Round trip
$56.04
14.86 gal · 56.24 L
Estimated CO2
66 kg one way
Round trip: 132.1 kg / 291 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $28.02 $56.04
Mid-grade $4.25 $31.60 $63.20
Premium $4.65 $34.58 $69.16
Diesel $5.30 $39.41 $78.82

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 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Nicholasville, KY and Princeton, KY. The current time in Nicholasville is 03:11:55, although it is 02:11:55 in Princeton.

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.