Origin
Elizabethtown, KY
Afternoon in Elizabethtown on Saturday
Local time
2:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabethtown, KY to Burlington, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 33m
Distance
134.3 mi
216 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 23m
★
6 AM
2h 34m
8 AM
2h 54m
10 AM
2h 41m
12 PM
2h 39m
3 PM
2h 42m
5 PM
2h 53m
8 PM
2h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabethtown, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Burlington, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Elizabethtown, KY to Burlington, KY covers 134.3 miles and takes about 2h 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 71, I 65, Henry Watterson Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 79.9 miles on I 71. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.00 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
67.2 miles from Elizabethtown, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 17m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 71 | 79.9 mi | 1h 26m |
| I 65 | 35.2 mi | 38m |
| Henry Watterson Expressway | 10 mi | 13m |
| Burlington Pike | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| North Mulberry Street | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Washington Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 71
— 79.9 mi, about 1h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabethtown, KY and Burlington, KY.
1
Start on US 62; KY 61
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Mulberry Street
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
3
Merge onto I 65
35 mi
·
38 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 131-A
Toward I 264: Watterson Expressway, Airport
Use the slight right lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 131A
Toward I 264 East: Watterson Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 264
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Henry Watterson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 23A
Toward I 71 North: Cincinnati
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 71
71 mi
·
1 hr 16 min
·
I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 71
8.9 mi
·
9 min
·
I 71
Toward I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 181
Toward KY 18: Florence, Burlington
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto KY 18
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Burlington Pike
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on KY 18
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Burlington Pike
13
Continue on KY 18
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Washington Street
14
Turn left onto KY 338
68 ft
·
1 sec
·
Jefferson Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
KY 338
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 67.2 miles from Elizabethtown, KY, or about 1h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 79.9 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 30 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.2 miles or 1h 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Burlington, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Elizabethtown, KY so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Elizabethtown, KY
This is one driving day of about 134.3 miles and 2h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Elizabethtown, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 71 for about 79.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
67 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 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 67.2 miles from Elizabethtown, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 71 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 79.9 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 37.6 and 129.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
37.6 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward I 264: Watterson Expressway, Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 131-A
Toward I 264: Watterson Expressway, Airport
8
38.3 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 264 East: Watterson Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 131A
Toward I 264 East: Watterson Expressway
8
49.1 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 71 North: Cincinnati
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 23A
Toward I 71 North: Cincinnati
8
120.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 15m in
|
I 71
Keep slight left at fork onto I 71 toward I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati
8
129.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 25m in
Take the exit toward KY 18: Florence, Burlington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 181
Toward KY 18: Florence, Burlington
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.00 one way
$41.99 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
47 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $23.05 | $46.11 |
| premium | $4.89 | $25.84 | $51.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $29.65 | $59.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 40.3 | 0 | $14.10 | $6.45 |
| Efficient EV | 33.6 | 0 | $11.75 | $5.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53.7 | 0 | $18.80 | $8.60 |
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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
Burlington, KY
Afternoon in Burlington on Saturday
Local time
2:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
2h 33m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
134.3 mi in 2h 33m, mostly highway — 79.9 mi of that is on I 71.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 79.9 mi on I 71.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and I 65. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 37.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 134.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 37.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 49.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Elizabethtown, KY to Burlington, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Airport along the way.
Airport
37.6 mi in
|
~42m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 33m. Total distance: 134.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 79.9 miles on I 71. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Burlington, KY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 37.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 49.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Burlington, KY before heading back.
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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