The drive from Burlington, KY to Nicholasville, KY covers 87 miles and takes about 1h 46m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 71, Nicholasville Road, Lexington Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.4 miles on I 71.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.60 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.5 miles from Burlington, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 87 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 1h 46m highway drive covering 87 miles, with most of the trip on I 71 and Nicholasville Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 64.4 miles on I 71.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 71 is the longest continuous segment at about 64.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and Nicholasville Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 46m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 70.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 70.9 miles (KY 922 / Newtown Pike): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
4.6 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 71 South, I 75 South: Lexington, Louisville
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 71 South, I 75 South: Lexington, Louis...
8
70.6 mi into trip|~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward KY 922: Airport, Lexington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 115
Toward KY 922: Airport, Lexington
6
70.9 mi into trip|~1h 20m in|KY 922 / Newtown Pike
Turn right onto KY 922 / Newtown Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
75.2 mi into trip|~1h 27m in|South Upper Street
At end of road, turn right onto South Upper Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
85.4 mi into trip|~1h 43m in|US 27 Business / North Main Street
Turn left onto US 27 Business / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Burlington, KY and Nicholasville, KY, road signs point toward Louisville and Lexington.
Louisville
4.6 mi in|~7m
Lexington
70.6 mi in|~1h 20m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 71
64.4 mi
1h 9m
Nicholasville Road
4.7 mi
8m
Lexington Road
4.5 mi
5m
Burlington Pike
4.4 mi
7m
Newtown Pike
3.3 mi
4m
North Main Street
1.7 mi
2m
Oliver Lewis Way
0.8 mi
1m
South Limestone
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 71
— 64.4 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burlington, KY and Nicholasville, KY.
1
Start on KY 338
68 ft·5 sec·Jefferson Street
2
Turn right onto KY 18
0.2 mi·21 sec·Washington Street
3
Continue on KY 18
4.4 mi·7 min·Burlington Pike
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
1.6 mi·3 min
Toward I 71 South, I 75 South: Lexington, LouisvilleUse the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 71; I 75
64 mi·1 hr 9 min·I 71; I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Exit 115Toward KY 922: Airport, LexingtonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto KY 922
3.3 mi·4 min·Newtown Pike
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on KY 922
0.8 mi·1 min·Oliver Lewis Way
9
Continue on Bolivar Street
0.2 mi·23 sec·Bolivar Street
10
At end of road, turn right onto South Upper Street
0.2 mi·31 sec·South Upper Street
11
Turn straight onto South Limestone
0.8 mi·1 min·South Limestone
12
Continue on US 27
4.7 mi·8 min·Nicholasville Road
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 27
4.5 mi·5 min·Lexington Road
14
Turn left onto US 27 Business
1.7 mi·2 min·North Main Street
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
US 27 Business
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 43.5 miles from Burlington, KY, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 19 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.5 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nicholasville, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Burlington, KY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Burlington, KY
This is one driving day of about 87 miles and 1h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Burlington, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 71 for about 64.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.5 mi from Burlington, KY
· 51m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Camp Nelson National Monument
National Monument
The US Army established Camp Nelson as a fortified supply depot in April 1863. Over the next 3 years, the site evolved into a massive recruitment and training center for United States Colored Troops a...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.60 one way
$27.20 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$14.93
$29.87
premium
$4.89
$16.74
$33.48
diesel
$5.61
$19.21
$38.42
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.1
0
$9.13
$4.18
Efficient EV
21.8
0
$7.61
$3.48
EV Truck/SUV
34.8
0
$12.18
$5.57
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Burlington, KY
Late night
in Burlington on Saturday
Local time
3:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Nicholasville, KY
Late night
in Nicholasville on Saturday
Local time
3:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Partly Cloudy
S 6 to 9 mph1% chanceLive forecast
68°F
Williamstown, KY
44 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
10 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 46m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Burlington, KY to Nicholasville, KY covers 87 miles and takes about 1h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 71, Nicholasville Road, Lexington Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.5 miles from Burlington, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.60 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.
This is a straightforward 1h 46m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 70.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 70.9 miles (KY 922 / Newtown Pike): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Burlington, KY and Nicholasville, KY, road signs point toward Louisville and Lexington.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
