How far is Owensboro, KY from Paintsville, KY?

The driving distance from Owensboro, KY to Paintsville, KY is about 292.7 miles (471.1 km), with a travel time of about 05h 29m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 235.1 miles (378.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 59m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
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
292.72 mi
05h 29m
Flight
235.11 mi
378.37 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Owensboro.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
235.11 mi
Kilometers
378.37 km
Flight Time
00h 28m

Driving Distance

Road route
292.72 mi
Kilometers
471.09 km
Drive Time
05h 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 05h 29m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Paintsville
Sat, Apr 18, 4:31 AM EDT
Return by in Owensboro
Sat, Apr 18, 9:01 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Owensboro
2026-04-17T22:01
Arrive Paintsville
Sat, Apr 18, 3:31 AM CDT
Route Timing
05h 29m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
12:30 PM to 2:30 PM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
6:00 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Owensboro
9:00 PM CDT
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
Willisburg
KY

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

From Owensboro
146.2 mi
02h 44m
To Paintsville
146.5 mi
02h 44m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
86°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
3 to 8 mph S
Destination
85°F
Friday

Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 3 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Owensboro and Paintsville.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Owensboro and Paintsville.

  1. 1

    Start on Frederica Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Frederica Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West 18th Street

    2675 ft · 1 min · West 18th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Triplett Street

    1156 ft · 28 sec · Triplett Street

  4. 4

    Turn straight onto New Hartford Road

    1.9 mi · 3 min · New Hartford Road

  5. 5

    Turn left

    1700 ft · 43 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Wendell Ford Expressway

    2274 ft · 30 sec · Wendell Ford Expressway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 165 South: Bowling Green

    2273 ft · 56 sec

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    28.8 mi · 31 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1772 ft · 50 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    60.1 mi · 1 hr 4 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville

    1955 ft · 48 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville

    3052 ft · 1 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    1.4 mi · 1 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward Lexington, Bardstown

    3252 ft · 1 min

  15. 15

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.7 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on US 60 West: Frankfort

    571 ft · 16 sec

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Lexington Road

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  18. 18

    Continue on Versailles Road

    4.6 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  19. 19

    Take the exit straight toward KY 4 North: New Circle Road

    2735 ft · 1 min

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto New Circle Road

    5.7 mi · 8 min · New Circle Road

  21. 21

    Turn left onto North Broadway

    1 mi · 2 min · North Broadway

  22. 22

    Turn left onto I 75 South, I 64 East: Knoxville, Ashland

    2515 ft · 1 min

  23. 23

    Merge slight left

    1.6 mi · 2 min

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight left toward I 64 East: Winchester, Ashland

    16.6 mi · 19 min

  25. 25

    Keep slight right to continue on Mountain Parkway

    76.7 mi · 1 hr 23 min · Mountain Parkway

  26. 26

    Turn left onto Rock House Road

    1.4 km · 58 sec · Rock House Road

  27. 27

    Continue on Wheeler Branch Road

    1 km · 43 sec · Wheeler Branch Road

  28. 28

    Continue on New Paintsville Road

    12.1 mi · 14 min · New Paintsville Road

  29. 29

    Continue straight

    2.1 mi · 3 min

  30. 30

    Keep slight left to continue on 3rd Street

    1125 ft · 24 sec · 3rd Street

  31. 31

    Turn right onto Court Street

    151 m · 22 sec · Court Street

  32. 32

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Court Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Owensboro and Paintsville.

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
32 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
11
5 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Mountain Parkway
76.7 mi · 26%
Bluegrass Parkway
70.7 mi · 24%
Western Kentucky Parkway
60.1 mi · 21%
I 165 South
29.2 mi · 10%
I 64 East
16.6 mi · 6%
New Paintsville Road
14.2 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Mountain Parkway

Keep slight right to continue on Mountain Parkway

76.7 mi · 01h 23m

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
05h 29m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
11h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+57.6 mi
235.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Willisburg
02h 44m from Owensboro
Leave By
6:00 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Owensboro and Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny near Paintsville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Owensboro to Paintsville?

The road trip is about 292.7 miles (471.1 km) and usually takes 05h 29m 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?

Willisburg is a useful midpoint, sitting about 146.2 miles from Owensboro and 146.5 miles from Paintsville.

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

The direct path is about 235.1 miles (378.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 57.6 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 6:00 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $38.95 one way or $77.91 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 91.8 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Owensboro and Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny near Paintsville.

Stop Ideas Near Willisburg

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

74 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Owensboro and Paintsville. Straight-line distance: 235.11 mi (378.37 km).

Owensboro

#1 Owensboro

The most populous city in Daviess County, Kentucky.

Population60,344
Coordinates37.7742200, -87.1133300
Altitude120
CountryUnited States
Paintsville

#2 Paintsville

City in Kentucky

Population3,925
Coordinates37.8145400, -82.8071100
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Start: Owensboro (-87.11333, 37.77422)
End: Paintsville (-82.80711, 37.81454)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 471 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 51m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 52m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 10m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 39m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.33 gal
39.1 L · about $38.95
Round trip
$77.91
20.66 gal · 78.2 L
Estimated CO2
91.8 kg one way
Round trip: 183.6 kg / 405 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $38.95 $77.91
Mid-grade $4.25 $43.93 $87.87
Premium $4.65 $48.08 $96.15
Diesel $5.30 $54.79 $109.58

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 18, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Owensboro, KY and Paintsville, KY. The current time in Owensboro is 22:01:45, although it is 23:01:45 in Paintsville.

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.