How far is Stanford, KY from Owensboro, KY?

The driving distance from Stanford, KY to Owensboro, KY is about 172 miles (276.8 km), with a travel time of about 02h 51m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 135.1 miles (217.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 42m 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
171.96 mi
02h 51m
Flight
135.14 mi
217.49 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Stanford.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
135.14 mi
Kilometers
217.49 km
Flight Time
00h 16m

Driving Distance

Road route
171.96 mi
Kilometers
276.75 km
Drive Time
02h 51m

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 51m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Owensboro
Sat, Apr 18, 8:08 PM CDT
Return by in Stanford
Sat, Apr 18, 11:59 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Stanford
2026-04-18T18:16
Arrive Owensboro
Sat, Apr 18, 9:08 PM EDT
Route Timing
02h 51m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:51 AM to 11:51 AM CDT

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

Leave by
12:48 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Stanford
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
Elizabethtown
KY

County seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States

From Stanford
86.2 mi
01h 25m
To Owensboro
85.7 mi
01h 25m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Saturday

Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 13 mph SW
Destination
77°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Stanford and Owensboro.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Stanford and Owensboro.

  1. 1

    Start on East Depot Street

    20 m · 5 sec · East Depot Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Lancaster Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Lancaster Street

  3. 3

    Turn left

    1512 ft · 20 sec

  4. 4

    Turn left

    7.5 mi · 9 min

  5. 5

    Turn straight onto South Danville Bypass

    5.5 mi · 7 min · South Danville Bypass

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Perryville Road

    7.7 mi · 9 min · Perryville Road

  7. 7

    Continue on East 2nd Street

    1 mi · 1 min · East 2nd Street

  8. 8

    Continue on Springfield Road

    15.6 mi · 18 min · Springfield Road

  9. 9

    Turn left

    28 m · 1 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right

    14.9 mi · 17 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit left toward Bluegrass Parkway West

    1169 ft · 29 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Bluegrass Parkway

    23.9 mi · 26 min · Bluegrass Parkway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left

    1.4 km · 2 min

  14. 14

    Merge slight left

    1.2 mi · 1 min

  15. 15

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

    1079 ft · 26 sec

  16. 16

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

    1286 ft · 32 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Paducah, Elizabethtown

    1710 ft · 42 sec

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

    59.1 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Western Kentucky Parkway

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward I 165 North: Owensboro

    1 km · 1 min

  20. 20

    Merge slight left

    28.2 mi · 30 min

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on US 60 East, US 231 North: Hawesville

    1792 ft · 44 sec

  22. 22

    Merge slight left onto Wendell Ford Expressway

    1.2 km · 53 sec · Wendell Ford Expressway

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward KY 54

    1437 ft · 42 sec

  24. 24

    Turn left onto Leitchfield Road

    79 m · 6 sec · Leitchfield Road

  25. 25

    Continue on East Parrish Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · East Parrish Avenue

  26. 26

    Turn right onto Leitchfield Road

    1.1 km · 2 min · Leitchfield Road

  27. 27

    Turn left onto East 5th Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · East 5th Street

  28. 28

    Turn right onto Frederica Street

    997 ft · 21 sec · Frederica Street

  29. 29

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Frederica Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Stanford and Owensboro.

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
29 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
5 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
16.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Western Kentucky Parkway
59.1 mi · 34%
Springfield Road
30.5 mi · 18%
I 165 North
28.9 mi · 17%
Bluegrass Parkway
26 mi · 15%
Perryville Road
7.66 mi · 4%
South Danville Bypass
5.5 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Western Kentucky Parkway

Merge slight left onto Western Kentucky Parkway

59.1 mi · 01h 03m

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 51m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+36.9 mi
135.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Elizabethtown
01h 25m from Stanford
Leave By
12:48 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Stanford and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Owensboro.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Stanford to Owensboro?

The road trip is about 172 miles (276.8 km) and usually takes 02h 51m 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?

Elizabethtown is a useful midpoint, sitting about 86.2 miles from Stanford and 85.7 miles from Owensboro.

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

The direct path is about 135.1 miles (217.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 36.9 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 12:48 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $22.89 one way or $45.78 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 53.9 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Stanford and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Owensboro.

Stop Ideas Near Elizabethtown

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

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

BUS

Louisville, Kentucky

63 mi away
720 West Muhammad Ali Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Stanford and Owensboro. Straight-line distance: 135.14 mi (217.49 km).

Stanford

#1 Stanford

City in Lincoln County, Kentucky

Population3,644
Coordinates37.5311900, -84.6618900
Altitude287
CountryUnited States
Owensboro

#2 Owensboro

The most populous city in Daviess County, Kentucky.

Population60,344
Coordinates37.7742200, -87.1133300
Altitude120
CountryUnited States
Start: Lancaster Street (-84.662046, 37.531172)
End: Frederica Street (-87.113495, 37.77421)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 277 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 43m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 26m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 51m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
6.07 gal
22.97 L · about $22.89
Round trip
$45.78
12.14 gal · 45.94 L
Estimated CO2
53.9 kg one way
Round trip: 107.9 kg / 238 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $22.89 $45.78
Mid-grade $4.25 $25.82 $51.63
Premium $4.65 $28.25 $56.50
Diesel $5.30 $32.20 $64.39

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

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Stanford, KY and Owensboro, KY. The current time in Stanford is 18:16:49, although it is 17:16:49 in Owensboro.

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.