Origin
Bardstown, KY
Morning in Bardstown on Friday
Local time
9:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bardstown, KY to Frankfort, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
56 mi
90 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bardstown, KY
Brady Wilson
Frankfort, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Bardstown, KY to Frankfort, KY covers 56 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Bluegrass Parkway, US 127 North, Louisville Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 56 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h drive with frequent turns across 56 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Bluegrass Parkway is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Bardstown, KY to Frankfort, KY is easy. At 1h with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bardstown, KY to Frankfort, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegrass Parkway | — | — |
| US 127 North | — | — |
| Louisville Road | — | — |
| West 2nd Street | — | — |
| Capital Avenue | — | — |
| East Main Street | — | — |
| High Street | — | — |
| West Clinton Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Bluegrass Parkway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bardstown, KY and Frankfort, KY.
1
Start on Court Square
328 ft
·
6 sec
·
Court Square
2
Exit the rotary
2.4 mi
·
3 min
3
Take the exit left
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
4
Merge slight left onto Bluegrass Parkway
34 mi
·
36 min
·
Bluegrass Parkway
5
Take the exit slight right toward US 127 North: Lawrenceburg, Frankfort
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
US 127 North: Lawrenceburg, Frankfort
6
Merge slight left
1.4 mi
·
1 min
7
Continue straight
14 mi
·
16 min
8
Take the exit slight right
190 ft
·
5 sec
9
Turn slight right onto Louisville Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Louisville Road
10
Continue on West 2nd Street
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
West 2nd Street
11
Turn left onto Capital Avenue
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Capital Avenue
12
At the end of the road, turn left onto East Main Street
157 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Main Street
13
Turn right onto High Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
High Street
14
Turn left onto West Clinton Street
246 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Clinton Street
15
Turn right onto Elk Alley
443 ft
·
19 sec
·
Elk Alley
16
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28 mi from Bardstown, KY · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28 miles from Bardstown, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Frankfort, KY
The final approach into Frankfort, KY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.75 one way
$17.51 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.61 | $19.23 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.78 | $21.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.36 | $24.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.88 | $2.69 |
| Efficient EV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.4 | 0 | $7.84 | $3.58 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Frankfort, KY
Morning in Frankfort on Friday
Local time
9:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
25 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Bardstown, KY to Frankfort, KY covers 56 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Bluegrass Parkway, US 127 North, Louisville Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28 miles from Bardstown, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.75 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Bardstown, KY to Frankfort, KY is easy. At 1h with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bardstown, KY to Frankfort, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Bardstown, KY to Frankfort, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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