How far is Russell, KY from Covington, KY?

The driving distance from Russell, KY to Covington, KY is about 129.7 miles (208.8 km), with a travel time of about 02h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 105.1 miles (169.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 49m 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
129.75 mi
02h 24m
Flight
105.07 mi
169.09 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Russell.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
105.07 mi
Kilometers
169.09 km
Flight Time
00h 12m

Driving Distance

Road route
129.75 mi
Kilometers
208.81 km
Drive Time
02h 24m

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 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Covington
Wed, Apr 22, 11:05 PM EDT
Return by in Russell
Thu, Apr 23, 1:30 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Russell
2026-04-22T20:40
Arrive Covington
Wed, Apr 22, 11:05 PM EDT
Route Timing
02h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:25 AM to 12:25 PM EDT

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

Leave by
1:40 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Russell
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
Vanceburg
KY

City in Lewis County, Kentucky, United States of America

From Russell
66.2 mi
01h 12m
To Covington
63.6 mi
01h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 mph W
Destination
75°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
9 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Russell and Covington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Russell and Covington.

  1. 1

    Start on Gesling Road

    609 ft · 29 sec · Gesling Road

  2. 2

    Turn straight onto Seaton Drive

    1489 ft · 47 sec · Seaton Drive

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Powell Lane

    1.4 km · 2 min · Powell Lane

  4. 4

    Continue on Lexington Avenue

    2769 ft · 1 min · Lexington Avenue

  5. 5

    Continue on Raceland Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · Raceland Avenue

  6. 6

    Continue on Pond Run Road

    1346 ft · 29 sec · Pond Run Road

  7. 7

    Turn left onto US Highway 23

    25.3 mi · 30 min · US Highway 23

  8. 8

    Continue on Carl Perkins Memorial Bridge

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Carl Perkins Memorial Bridge

  9. 9

    Turn straight

    4.4 mi · 6 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left

    25.4 mi · 38 min

  11. 11

    Turn left onto James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway

    55 mi · 1 hr 9 min · James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 275 South: Kentucky

    2647 ft · 1 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Circle Freeway

    10 mi · 11 min · Circle Freeway

  14. 14

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Highway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Ronald Reagan Highway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward I 471 North: Newport, Cincinnati

    2251 ft · 55 sec

  16. 16

    Continue straight

    2.2 mi · 3 min

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 1892: Newport, Fort Thomas

    1077 ft · 26 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on KY 1892 West: Newport, Grand Avenue

    2645 ft · 1 min

  19. 19

    Turn slight right onto North Grand Avenue

    941 ft · 25 sec · North Grand Avenue

  20. 20

    Continue on Carothers Road

    2191 ft · 60 sec · Carothers Road

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Monmouth Street

    1344 ft · 39 sec · Monmouth Street

  22. 22

    Turn left onto East 11th Street

    1.3 km · 2 min · East 11th Street

  23. 23

    Continue on East Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard

    589 ft · 17 sec · East Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard

  24. 24

    Turn right onto Prospect Avenue

    150 m · 19 sec · Prospect Avenue

  25. 25

    Turn left onto East 11th Street

    1853 ft · 1 min · East 11th Street

  26. 26

    Turn right onto Madison Avenue

    1680 ft · 1 min · Madison Avenue

  27. 27

    Turn right onto East 7th Street

    139 m · 20 sec · East 7th Street

  28. 28

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East 7th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Russell and Covington.

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
28 steps
12 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
21.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway
55 mi · 42%
Carl Perkins Memorial Bridge
27 mi · 21%
US Highway 23
25.3 mi · 20%
Circle Freeway
9.95 mi · 8%
I 471 North
2.68 mi · 2%
Ronald Reagan Highway
1.58 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway

Turn left onto James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway

55 mi · 01h 09m

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 24m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+24.6 mi
105.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Vanceburg
01h 12m from Russell
Leave By
1:40 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Russell and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Covington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Russell to Covington?

The road trip is about 129.7 miles (208.8 km) and usually takes 02h 24m 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?

Vanceburg is a useful midpoint, sitting about 66.2 miles from Russell and 63.6 miles from Covington.

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

The direct path is about 105.1 miles (169.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 24.6 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 1:40 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $17.27 one way or $34.54 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 40.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Russell and Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Covington.

Stop Ideas Near Vanceburg

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

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

RAIL

South Portsmouth–South Shore station

34 mi away
Main St & US 23
RAIL

Maysville

40 mi away
West Front St & Rosemary Clooney St
RAIL

Ashland Transportation Center

61 mi away
99 15th Street
RAIL

Huntington

79 mi away
1050 8th Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Russell and Covington. Straight-line distance: 105.07 mi (169.09 km).

Russell

#1 Russell

City in the U.

Population3,207
Coordinates38.5173000, -82.6976600
Altitude197
CountryUnited States
Covington

#2 Covington

The county seat of Kenton County, Kentucky.

Population40,314
Coordinates39.0836700, -84.5085500
Altitude155
CountryUnited States
Start: Gesling Road (-82.69768, 38.517189)
End: Scott Boulevard (-84.50851, 39.083683)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 209 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 19m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 14m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 35m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 09m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 51m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.58 gal
17.33 L · about $17.27
Round trip
$34.54
9.16 gal · 34.66 L
Estimated CO2
40.7 kg one way
Round trip: 81.4 kg / 179 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $17.27 $34.54
Mid-grade $4.25 $19.48 $38.96
Premium $4.65 $21.32 $42.63
Diesel $5.30 $24.29 $48.58

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Russell and Covington. The current time is 20:40:40.

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.