How far is Paintsville, KY from Elizabethtown, KY?

The driving distance from Paintsville, KY to Elizabethtown, KY is about 198.8 miles (319.9 km), with a travel time of about 03h 45m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 166.9 miles (268.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 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
198.79 mi
03h 45m
Flight
166.93 mi
268.64 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Paintsville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
166.93 mi
Kilometers
268.64 km
Flight Time
00h 20m

Driving Distance

Road route
198.79 mi
Kilometers
319.92 km
Drive Time
03h 45m

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 45m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Elizabethtown
Sat, Apr 18, 1:19 AM EDT
Return by in Paintsville
Sat, Apr 18, 5:04 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Paintsville
2026-04-17T21:34
Arrive Elizabethtown
Sat, Apr 18, 1:19 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 45m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:45 AM to 11:45 AM EDT

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

Leave by
9:30 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Paintsville
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
Columbus
KY

City in Hickman County, Kentucky, United States

From Paintsville
99.2 mi
01h 52m
To Elizabethtown
99.5 mi
01h 52m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
85°F
Friday

Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 3 mph WSW
Destination
83°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Court Street

    151 m · 27 sec · Court Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto 3rd Street

    2.3 mi · 4 min · 3rd Street

  3. 3

    Continue straight

    13.6 mi · 15 min

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Mountain Parkway

    76.9 mi · 1 hr 23 min · Mountain Parkway

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    15.5 mi · 17 min

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on I 64 West, I 75 North: Louisville, Cincinnati

    2.4 mi · 4 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 27, US 68: Paris, Lexington

    2152 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · North Broadway

  9. 9

    Turn right onto West New Circle Road

    5.8 mi · 8 min · West New Circle Road

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 60 West: Versailles

    1848 ft · 45 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Versailles Road

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Lexington Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1.1 km · 1 min

  14. 14

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.6 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right

    2137 ft · 52 sec

  16. 16

    Merge slight left

    1196 ft · 15 sec

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward US 62, KY 61: Elizabethtown

    1576 ft · 39 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on US 62: Historic Downtown Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown

    65 m · 8 sec

  19. 19

    Turn left onto North Mulberry Street

    2.2 mi · 3 min · North Mulberry Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Mulberry Street

Car Route Details

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

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
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Mountain Parkway
92.4 mi · 46%
Bluegrass Parkway
71.2 mi · 36%
3rd Street
15.9 mi · 8%
West New Circle Road
5.81 mi · 3%
Versailles Road
4.51 mi · 2%
I 64 West
2.43 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Mountain Parkway

At the end of the road, turn right onto Mountain Parkway

76.9 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
03h 45m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+31.9 mi
166.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Columbus
01h 52m from Paintsville
Leave By
9:30 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny leaving Paintsville and Mostly Sunny near Elizabethtown.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 198.8 miles (319.9 km) and usually takes 03h 45m 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?

Columbus is a useful midpoint, sitting about 99.2 miles from Paintsville and 99.5 miles from Elizabethtown.

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

The direct path is about 166.9 miles (268.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 31.9 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 9:30 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $26.43 one way or $52.87 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 62.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny around Paintsville and Mostly Sunny near Elizabethtown.

Stop Ideas Near Columbus

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

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

RAIL

Maysville

86 mi away
West Front St & Rosemary Clooney St
RAIL

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

119 mi away
1301 Western Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Paintsville and Elizabethtown. Straight-line distance: 166.93 mi (268.64 km).

Paintsville

#1 Paintsville

City in Kentucky

Population3,925
Coordinates37.8145400, -82.8071100
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Elizabethtown

#2 Elizabethtown

County seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States

Population30,331
Coordinates37.6939500, -85.8591300
Altitude221
CountryUnited States
Start: Paintsville (-82.80711, 37.81454)
End: Elizabethtown (-85.85913, 37.69395)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 320 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)06h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 58m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 50m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.01 gal
26.55 L · about $26.43
Round trip
$52.87
14.02 gal · 53.1 L
Estimated CO2
62.3 kg one way
Round trip: 124.6 kg / 275 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $26.43 $52.87
Mid-grade $4.25 $29.81 $59.63
Premium $4.65 $32.62 $65.25
Diesel $5.30 $37.18 $74.36

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

There is no time difference between Paintsville and Elizabethtown. The current time is 21:34:40.

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.