How far is Paducah, KY from Ashland, KY?

The driving distance from Paducah, KY to Ashland, KY is about 378.5 miles (609.2 km), with a travel time of about 07h 00m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 339.5 miles (546.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 01m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
378.56 mi
07h 00m
Flight
339.47 mi
546.33 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Paducah.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
339.47 mi
Kilometers
546.33 km
Flight Time
00h 40m

Driving Distance

Road route
378.56 mi
Kilometers
609.24 km
Drive Time
07h 00m

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 07h 00m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Ashland
Fri, Apr 10, 3:59 PM EDT
Return by in Paducah
Fri, Apr 10, 10:00 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Paducah
2026-04-10T07:59
Arrive Ashland
Fri, Apr 10, 2:59 PM CDT
Route Timing
07h 00m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:01 PM to 3:31 PM EDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
9:58 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Paducah
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

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
Bardstown
KY

City in Kentucky

From Paducah
189 mi
03h 30m
To Ashland
189.6 mi
03h 30m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 10 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 9 mph SSW
Destination
80°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 10 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Paducah and Ashland.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Paducah and Ashland.

  1. 1

    Start on Washington Street

    1060 ft · 49 sec · Washington Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto South 4th Street

    1.5 mi · 2 min · South 4th Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Wayne Sullivan Drive

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Wayne Sullivan Drive

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Clarks River Road

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Clarks River Road

  5. 5

    Turn straight onto Reidland Road

    1.5 km · 1 min · Reidland Road

  6. 6

    Turn straight onto Kentucky Dam Road

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Kentucky Dam Road

  7. 7

    Turn right

    1.1 mi · 1 min

  8. 8

    Turn left

    2054 ft · 50 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    24.6 mi · 26 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 69 North: Elizabethtown, Princeton

    38.3 mi · 42 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1783 ft · 22 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  12. 12

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    98.9 mi · 1 hr 46 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  13. 13

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

    1955 ft · 48 sec

  14. 14

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

    3052 ft · 1 min

  15. 15

    Merge slight left

    1.4 mi · 1 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward Lexington, Bardstown

    3252 ft · 1 min

  17. 17

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.7 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on US 60 West: Frankfort

    571 ft · 16 sec

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Lexington Road

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  20. 20

    Continue on Versailles Road

    4.6 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  21. 21

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

    2735 ft · 1 min

  22. 22

    Merge slight left onto New Circle Road

    5.7 mi · 8 min · New Circle Road

  23. 23

    Turn left onto North Broadway

    1 mi · 2 min · North Broadway

  24. 24

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

    2515 ft · 1 min

  25. 25

    Merge slight left

    1.6 mi · 2 min

  26. 26

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

    16.6 mi · 19 min

  27. 27

    Keep slight left

    93 mi · 1 hr 40 min

  28. 28

    Take the exit slight right toward US 23: Louisa, Ashland

    1678 ft · 34 sec

  29. 29

    Turn left onto Louisa Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Louisa Road

  30. 30

    Continue on Louisa Street

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Louisa Street

  31. 31

    Continue on Walnut Street

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Walnut Street

  32. 32

    Continue on Center Street

    1.3 km · 58 sec · Center Street

  33. 33

    Continue on Winchester Avenue

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Winchester Avenue

  34. 34

    Turn left onto 17th Street

    70 m · 10 sec · 17th Street

  35. 35

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 17th Street

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

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.

Drive Time
07h 00m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
14h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+39 mi
339.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Bardstown
03h 30m from Paducah
Leave By
9:58 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Paducah and Sunny near Ashland.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Paducah to Ashland?

The road trip is about 378.5 miles (609.2 km) and usually takes 07h 00m 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?

Bardstown is a useful midpoint, sitting about 189 miles from Paducah and 189.6 miles from Ashland.

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

The direct path is about 339.5 miles (546.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 39 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 CDT. 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 $50.38 one way or $100.76 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 118.7 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Paducah and Ashland, 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 Paducah and Sunny near Ashland.

Stop Ideas Near Bardstown

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

56 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Paducah and Ashland. Straight-line distance: 339.47 mi (546.33 km).

Paducah

#1 Paducah

City in McCracken County, Kentucky, United States

Population24,883
Coordinates37.0833900, -88.6000500
Altitude104
CountryUnited States
Ashland

#2 Ashland

City in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States

Population20,070
Coordinates38.4784100, -82.6379400
Altitude168
CountryUnited States
Start: Paducah (-88.60005, 37.08339)
End: Ashland (-82.63794, 38.47841)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 609 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 34m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 24m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 43m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.36 gal
50.57 L · about $50.38
Round trip
$100.76
26.72 gal · 101.14 L
Estimated CO2
118.7 kg one way
Round trip: 237.5 kg / 524 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $50.38 $100.76
Mid-grade $4.25 $56.82 $113.64
Premium $4.65 $62.18 $124.35
Diesel $5.30 $70.86 $141.72

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 10, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Paducah, KY and Ashland, KY. The current time in Paducah is 07:59:12, although it is 08:59:12 in Ashland.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.