Origin
Earlington, KY
Night in Earlington on Friday
Local time
9:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Earlington, KY to Owensboro, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
56.4 mi
91 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
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Earlington, KY
Vietnam Hidden Light
Owensboro, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 56.4-mile drive from Earlington, KY to Owensboro, KY takes about 1 hour and 11 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, with 82% of the journey on high-speed roads. The estimated fuel cost is around $9, which is quite budget-friendly for a trip of this length. This route is focused on efficient travel between two points within Kentucky's Southeast region. Its highway-focused profile suggests a direct and uncomplicated journey, ideal for those prioritizing getting to their destination quickly.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 56.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this 56.4-mile trip. You'll be on I-69 and the Audubon Parkway for a significant portion, accounting for 82% of the drive on high-speed roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23.5 miles on I-69. This means you'll experience consistent speeds and a generally efficient commute. While it's primarily highway driving, the transition between these major roads will guide you towards Owensboro.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 69 is the longest continuous segment at about 23.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 69 and Audubon Parkway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 41 / North Robinson Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.4 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 41 / North Robinson Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 30 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 41 / North Robinson Street
Turn left onto US 41 / North Robinson Street
Navigation decision point
4
6.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
30 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward KY 416: Niagara, Robards
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 140
Toward KY 416: Niagara, Robards
4
33.2 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
KY 416
Keep slight left at fork onto KY 416
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
53.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Earlington, KY to Owensboro, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Robards along the way.
Robards
30 mi in
|
~35m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 69 | 23.5 mi | 25m |
| Audubon Parkway | 13.9 mi | 15m |
| KY 416 | 8 mi | 12m |
| South Main Street | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| West 4th Street | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| Hopkinsville Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| State Highway 416 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Island Ford Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 69
— 23.5 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Earlington, KY and Owensboro, KY.
1
Start on US 41
335 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 41
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Robinson Street
3
Continue on US 41
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Hopkinsville Road
4
Continue on US 41
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
South Main Street
5
Turn right onto KY 281
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Island Ford Road
6
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
7
Merge onto I 69
24 mi
·
25 min
·
I 69
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 140
Toward KY 416: Niagara, Robards
9
Turn right onto KY 416
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
KY 416
10
Continue on KY 136; KY 416
30 ft
·
0 sec
·
KY 136; KY 416
11
Keep slight left at fork onto KY 416
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
KY 416
12
Continue on KY 416; KY 1078
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
KY 416; KY 1078
13
Continue on KY 416
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 416
14
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
15
Merge onto Audubon Parkway
13 mi
·
13 min
·
Audubon Parkway
16
Continue on Audubon Parkway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Audubon Parkway
Exit 24B
Toward US 60 West: Downtown Owensboro
17
Merge onto US 60
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
Wendell Ford Expressway
18
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
19
Turn straight onto KY 331
0.6 mi
·
48 sec
·
Henderson Road
20
Continue on West 4th Street
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
West 4th Street
21
Turn left onto Frederica Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Frederica Street
22
Arrive at destination
Frederica Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.2 mi from Earlington, KY · 33m 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 28.2 miles from Earlington, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Owensboro, KY
The final approach into Owensboro, 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
$8.82 one way
$17.63 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.68 | $19.36 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.85 | $21.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.45 | $24.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 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 | 16.9 | 0 | $5.92 | $2.71 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.6 | 0 | $7.90 | $3.61 |
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
Owensboro, KY
Night in Owensboro on Friday
Local time
9:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
75°F
Henderson, KY
28 mi in
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
4 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 11m 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 Earlington, KY to Owensboro, KY covers 56.4 miles and takes about 1h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 69, Audubon Parkway, KY 416. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.2 miles from Earlington, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.82 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.4 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 41 / North Robinson Street): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 30 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Earlington, KY to Owensboro, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Robards along the way.
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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