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Trip from Nicholasville, KY to Simpsonville, 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

57.9 mi

93 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 6m ★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 8m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States

Nicholasville, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Simpsonville, KY, KY

Simpsonville, KY

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Nicholasville, KY to Simpsonville, KY covers 57.9 miles and takes about 1h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 64, Frankfort Road, Keene Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29.6 miles on I 64. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.05 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 57.9 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 (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Nicholasville, KY to Simpsonville, KY covers 57.9 miles and takes about 1h 11m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 64 is the longest continuous segment at about 29.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near KY 169 / West Oak 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 57.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 (KY 169 / West Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.3 miles (KY 33 / Troy Pike): Navigation decision point; at 26.5 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | KY 169 / West Oak Street

Turn left onto KY 169 / West Oak Street

Navigation decision point

5
13.3 mi into trip | ~19m in | KY 33 / Troy Pike

At end of road, turn right onto KY 33 / Troy Pike

Navigation decision point

5
26.5 mi into trip | ~36m in | I 64

Merge onto I 64

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
56.1 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in

Take the exit toward KY 1848: Simpsonville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 28 Toward KY 1848: Simpsonville
8
56.4 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Simpsonville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward Simpsonville

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 64 29.6 mi 31m
Frankfort Road 6 mi 6m
Keene Road 5.3 mi 7m
Pinckard Pike 4.5 mi 6m
Keene-Versailles Road 2.1 mi 2m
Troy Pike 2.1 mi 3m
Frankfort Highway 1.8 mi 2m
South Main Street 1.4 mi 2m
Longest stretch: I 64 — 29.6 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Nicholasville, KY and Simpsonville, KY.

1

Start on US 27 Business

0.1 mi · 20 sec · North Main Street
2

Turn left onto KY 169

0.2 mi · 19 sec · West Oak Street
3

At end of road, turn right onto KY 169

0.8 mi · 1 min · North 3rd Street
4

Continue on KY 169

5.1 mi · 7 min · Keene Road
5

Continue on KY 169; KY 1267

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Keene Road
6

Turn left onto KY 169

0.4 mi · 39 sec · Pinchard Pike
7

Continue on KY 169

2.1 mi · 2 min · Keene-Versailles Road
8

Continue on KY 169

4.5 mi · 6 min · Pinckard Pike
9

At end of road, turn right onto KY 33

2.1 mi · 3 min · Troy Pike
10

Continue on KY 33

1.4 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
11

Continue on US 60 Business; US 62

0.6 mi · 51 sec · Frankfort Street
12

Continue on US 60 Business; US 62

472 ft · 7 sec · US 60 Business; US 62
13

Turn left onto US 60; US 62

6.0 mi · 6 min · Frankfort Road
14

Continue on US 60

1.8 mi · 2 min · Frankfort Highway
15

Continue on US 60

0.8 mi · 1 min · Versailles Road
16

Turn left

0.3 mi · 43 sec
17

Merge onto I 64

30 mi · 31 min · I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Exit 28 Toward KY 1848: Simpsonville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Keep slight right at fork

200 ft · 4 sec
Toward Simpsonville Use the right lane.
20

Turn straight onto KY 1848

0.5 mi · 55 sec · Simpsonville-Buck Creek Road
21

Continue on KY 1848

0.4 mi · 45 sec · Buckcreek Road
22

Turn left onto US 60; KY 1848

0.6 mi · 54 sec · Shelbyville Road
23

Turn right onto KY 1848

65 ft · 1 sec · 3rd Street
24

Arrive at destination

KY 1848

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 28.9 mi from Nicholasville, KY · 39m into the drive

palace in Versailles, France and location of the Museum of the History of France

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Versailles, KY

29 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

Versailles, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Frankfort, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.9 miles from Nicholasville, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Simpsonville, KY

The final approach into Simpsonville, 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

$9.05 one way

$18.10 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.94 $19.88
premium $4.89 $11.14 $22.28
diesel $5.61 $12.78 $25.57

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 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 17.4 0 $6.08 $2.78
Efficient EV 14.5 0 $5.07 $2.32
EV Truck/SUV 23.2 0 $8.11 $3.71

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Nicholasville, KY

Late night in Nicholasville on Saturday

Local time

4:37 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Simpsonville, KY

Late night in Simpsonville on Saturday

Local time

4:37 AM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

80°F

Versailles, KY

29 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

7 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 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 Nicholasville, KY to Simpsonville, KY covers 57.9 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 64, Frankfort Road, Keene Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 28.9 miles from Nicholasville, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.05 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 57.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 (KY 169 / West Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.3 miles (KY 33 / Troy Pike): Navigation decision point; at 26.5 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Nicholasville, KY to Simpsonville, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Camp Nelson National Monument.

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.

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