How far is Paintsville, KY from Nicholasville, KY?

The driving distance from Paintsville, KY to Nicholasville, KY is about 133 miles (214 km), with a travel time of about 02h 16m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 96.4 miles (155.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 32m 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
133 mi
02h 16m
Flight
96.45 mi
155.22 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Paintsville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
96.45 mi
Kilometers
155.22 km
Flight Time
00h 11m

Driving Distance

Road route
133 mi
Kilometers
214.04 km
Drive Time
02h 16m

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 02h 16m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Nicholasville
Thu, Apr 23, 6:22 AM EDT
Return by in Paintsville
Thu, Apr 23, 8:38 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Paintsville
2026-04-23T04:06
Arrive Nicholasville
Thu, Apr 23, 6:22 AM EDT
Route Timing
02h 16m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:16 AM to 12:16 PM EDT

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

Leave by
1:58 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Paintsville
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
Stanton
KY

City in Kentucky

From Paintsville
63.5 mi
01h 08m
To Nicholasville
69.5 mi
01h 08m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
83°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 mph SW
Destination
80°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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 left to continue on I 75 South: Richmond, Knoxville

    1.2 mi · 3 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    1535 ft · 19 sec

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward US 60: Lexington

    1399 ft · 37 sec

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Winchester Road

    1.8 mi · 2 min · Winchester Road

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight left toward KY 4 South: New Circle Road

    1279 ft · 35 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto East New Circle Road

    6.1 mi · 9 min · East New Circle Road

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward US 27: Nicholasville, Lexington

    1707 ft · 49 sec

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Nicholasville Road

    2.5 mi · 4 min · Nicholasville Road

  14. 14

    Continue on Lexington Road

    4.5 mi · 5 min · Lexington Road

  15. 15

    Turn left onto North Main Street

    1.7 mi · 3 min · North Main Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Main Street

Car Route Details

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

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
16 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
12 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Mountain Parkway
92.4 mi · 69%
3rd Street
15.9 mi · 12%
East New Circle Road
6.08 mi · 5%
Lexington Road
4.46 mi · 3%
Nicholasville Road
2.52 mi · 2%
Winchester Road
1.78 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 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
02h 16m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+36.6 mi
96.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Stanton
01h 08m from Paintsville
Leave By
1:58 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Paintsville and Sunny near Nicholasville.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 133 miles (214 km) and usually takes 02h 16m 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?

Stanton is a useful midpoint, sitting about 63.5 miles from Paintsville and 69.5 miles from Nicholasville.

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

The direct path is about 96.4 miles (155.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 36.6 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 1:58 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $17.69 one way or $35.37 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 41.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Stanton

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

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

RAIL

Maysville

90 mi away
West Front St & Rosemary Clooney St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Paintsville and Nicholasville. Straight-line distance: 96.45 mi (155.22 km).

Paintsville

#1 Paintsville

City in Kentucky

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

#2 Nicholasville

City in Kentucky

Population30,888
Coordinates37.8806300, -84.5730000
Altitude286
CountryUnited States
Start: Court Street (-82.80711, 37.81454)
End: North Main Street (-84.572926, 37.88061)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 214 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 25m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 39m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 12m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 54m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 39m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.69 gal
17.77 L · about $17.69
Round trip
$35.37
9.38 gal · 35.54 L
Estimated CO2
41.7 kg one way
Round trip: 83.4 kg / 184 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $17.69 $35.37
Mid-grade $4.25 $19.95 $39.89
Premium $4.65 $21.83 $43.65
Diesel $5.30 $24.88 $49.75

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

There is no time difference between Paintsville and Nicholasville. The current time is 04:06:02.

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.