How far is Richmond, KY from Princeton, KY?

The driving distance from Richmond, KY to Princeton, KY is about 235.6 miles (379.2 km), with a travel time of about 04h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 201.7 miles (324.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 08h 51m 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
235.61 mi
04h 25m
Flight
201.7 mi
324.6 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Richmond.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
201.7 mi
Kilometers
324.6 km
Flight Time
00h 24m

Driving Distance

Road route
235.61 mi
Kilometers
379.17 km
Drive Time
04h 25m

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 04h 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Princeton
Sat, May 16, 2:25 PM CDT
Return by in Richmond
Sat, May 16, 7:50 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Richmond
2026-05-16T10:59
Arrive Princeton
Sat, May 16, 3:25 PM EDT
Route Timing
04h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:26 AM to 11:26 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
8:08 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Richmond
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
Sonora
KY

City in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Richmond
117.6 mi
02h 12m
To Princeton
117.9 mi
02h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
83°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, May 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 to 12 mph SW
Destination
86°F
Saturday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 16 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
7 to 12 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on North 2nd Street

    32 m · 6 sec · North 2nd Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West Main Street

    2460 ft · 46 sec · West Main Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Lexington Road

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Lexington Road

    1262 ft · 28 sec · Lexington Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right

    1702 ft · 42 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    13.5 mi · 15 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 418: Lexington, Athens

    1213 ft · 30 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    110 m · 11 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Athens Boonesboro Road

    2.6 mi · 3 min · Athens Boonesboro Road

  10. 10

    Continue on Richmond Road

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Richmond Road

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Man O War Boulevard

    1.6 km · 2 min · Man O War Boulevard

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Alumni Drive

    1.1 km · 1 min · Alumni Drive

  13. 13

    Take the ramp left toward KY 4 West

    1698 ft · 44 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto New Circle Road

    7.5 mi · 10 min · New Circle Road

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward US 60 West: Versailles

    1568 ft · 38 sec

  16. 16

    Continue on Versailles Road

    4.7 mi · 6 min · Versailles Road

  17. 17

    Continue on Lexington Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Lexington Road

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward Elizabethtown

    1.1 km · 1 min

  19. 19

    Continue on Bluegrass Parkway

    70.6 mi · 1 hr 16 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  20. 20

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  21. 21

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  22. 22

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

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  23. 23

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

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  24. 24

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  25. 25

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    98 mi · 1 hr 45 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  26. 26

    Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Western Kentucky Parkway

  27. 27

    Merge slight left

    24 mi · 26 min

  28. 28

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

    1864 ft · 32 sec

  29. 29

    Turn straight

    1.8 mi · 3 min

  30. 30

    Enter the roundabout toward East Market Street

    7 m · 1 sec · East Market Street

  31. 31

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Richmond 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
31 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
12
5 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
13.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
123 mi · 52%
Bluegrass Parkway
72.7 mi · 31%
Lexington Road
17 mi · 7%
New Circle Road
7.54 mi · 3%
Versailles Road
4.67 mi · 2%
Athens Boonesboro Road
2.56 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
04h 25m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
08h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+33.9 mi
201.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sonora
02h 12m from Richmond
Leave By
8:08 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Richmond and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Princeton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 235.6 miles (379.2 km) and usually takes 04h 25m 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?

Sonora is a useful midpoint, sitting about 117.6 miles from Richmond and 117.9 miles from Princeton.

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

The direct path is about 201.7 miles (324.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 33.9 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 8:08 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $31.34 one way or $62.67 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 73.9 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Richmond and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Princeton.

Stop Ideas Near Sonora

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

82 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Richmond and Princeton. Straight-line distance: 201.7 mi (324.6 km).

Richmond

#1 Richmond

City in and the county seat of Madison County, Kentucky, United States

Population36,800
Coordinates37.7478600, -84.2946500
Altitude289
CountryUnited States
Princeton

#2 Princeton

City in Caldwell County, Kentucky, United States

Population6,063
Coordinates37.1092200, -87.8819600
Altitude147
CountryUnited States
Start: Richmond (-84.29465, 37.74786)
End: Princeton (-87.88196, 37.10922)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 379 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 53m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 55m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 56m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
8.31 gal
31.47 L · about $31.34
Round trip
$62.67
16.62 gal · 62.94 L
Estimated CO2
73.9 kg one way
Round trip: 147.7 kg / 326 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $31.34 $62.67
Mid-grade $4.25 $35.34 $70.68
Premium $4.65 $38.67 $77.35
Diesel $5.30 $44.08 $88.15

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 · May 16, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Richmond, KY and Princeton, KY. The current time in Richmond is 10:59:22, although it is 09:59:22 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.