Origin
Paducah, KY
Afternoon in Paducah on Friday
Local time
2:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Paducah, KY to Alexandria, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 59m
Distance
312.9 mi
504 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$49
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 47m
★
6 AM
6h 0m
8 AM
6h 26m
10 AM
6h 9m
12 PM
6h 6m
3 PM
6h 10m
5 PM
6h 24m
8 PM
5h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paducah, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Alexandria, KY
Vietnam Hidden Light
Trip Overview
The drive from Paducah, KY to Alexandria, KY covers 312.9 miles and takes about 5h 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Western Kentucky Parkway, I 71, I 69 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.2 miles on Western Kentucky Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $48.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
156.5 miles from Paducah, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 52m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 59m. Total distance: 312.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 59m highway drive covering 312.9 miles, with most of the trip on Western Kentucky Parkway and I 71. The longest continuous stretch is about 99.2 miles on Western Kentucky Parkway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 41 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Western Kentucky Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 99.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Western Kentucky Parkway and I 71. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 72.2 miles in near Western Kentucky Parkway.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 30 significant decision points across 312.9 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 72.2 miles (Western Kentucky Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 171.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 210.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 30 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
72.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
Western Kentucky Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto Western Kentucky Parkway toward I 169 South: Hopkinsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 106A-B
Toward I 169 South: Hopkinsville
8
171.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 8m in
Take the exit toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 137B
Toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
8
210.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 51m 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
210.9 mi into trip
|
~3h 52m 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
221.7 mi into trip
|
~4h 7m 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
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Paducah, KY and Alexandria, KY, road signs point toward Princeton, Elizabethtown, Louisville, Airport and Verona.
Princeton
33.9 mi in
|
~40m
|
via I 69
Elizabethtown
72.5 mi in
|
~1h 22m
|
via Western Kentucky Parkway
Louisville
171.4 mi in
|
~3h 8m
Airport
210.2 mi in
|
~3h 51m
Verona
294.1 mi in
|
~5h 26m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Western Kentucky Parkway | 99.2 mi | 1h 46m |
| I 71 | 71 mi | 1h 16m |
| I 69 | 38.3 mi | 41m |
| I 65 | 37.9 mi | 41m |
| I 24 | 24.6 mi | 26m |
| Henry Watterson Expressway | 10 mi | 13m |
| Walton Nicholson Pike | 4.1 mi | 6m |
| Visalia Road | 2.9 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Western Kentucky Parkway
— 99.2 mi, about 1h 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paducah, KY and Alexandria, KY.
1
Start on Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
Washington Street
2
Turn right onto US 60 Business; I 24 Business
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South 4th Street
3
Continue on US 60 Business; I 24 Business
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Wayne Sullivan Drive
4
Turn left onto US 60; US 62
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Clarks River Road
5
Turn straight onto US 60; US 62
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Reidland Road
6
Turn straight onto US 62
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Kentucky Dam Road
7
Turn right onto US 68
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 68
8
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
9
Merge onto I 24
25 mi
·
26 min
·
I 24
10
Take the exit onto I 69
38 mi
·
41 min
·
I 69
Exit 42
Toward I 69 North: Elizabethtown, Princeton
11
Keep slight right at fork onto Western Kentucky Parkway
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Western Kentucky Parkway
Exit 106A-B
Toward I 169 South: Hopkinsville
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway
99 mi
·
1 hr 46 min
·
Western Kentucky Parkway
Exit 106B
Toward Elizabethtown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 137B
Toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
Use the right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
15
Merge onto I 65
38 mi
·
41 min
·
I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 131-A
Toward I 264: Watterson Expressway, Airport
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 131A
Toward I 264 East: Watterson Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
18
Merge onto I 264
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Henry Watterson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 23A
Toward I 71 North: Cincinnati
Use the slight right lane.
20
Merge onto I 71
71 mi
·
1 hr 16 min
·
I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 77
Toward I 75 South: Lexington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto I 75
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
I 75
Toward I 75 South: Lexington
23
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 171
Toward KY 14, KY 16: Walton, Verona
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Turn left onto KY 14; KY 16
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Mary Grubbs Highway
25
Turn left onto School Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
School Road
Use the left lane.
26
Continue on Stephenson Mill Road
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Stephenson Mill Road
27
Continue on Old Beaver Road
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Old Beaver Road
28
At end of road, turn left onto US 25; KY 16
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
29
Continue on US 25; KY 16
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
Dixie Highway
30
Turn left onto KY 16
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Walton Nicholson Road
Use the left lane.
31
Continue on KY 16
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Walton Nicholson Pike
32
Continue on KY 16
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Taylor Mill Road
33
Turn right onto KY 536
398 ft
·
8 sec
·
Maverick Road
34
Turn right onto KY 536
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Staffordsburg Road
35
Turn left onto KY 536
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Visalia Road
36
Turn left onto KY 177; KY 536
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Decoursey Pike
37
Turn right onto KY 536
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
KY 536
38
Turn left onto KY 915
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Licking Pike
Use the left lane.
39
Turn straight onto KY 10
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
KY 10
Use the straight lane.
40
Turn left onto Washington Street
35 ft
·
1 sec
·
Washington Street
41
Arrive at destination
Washington Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 156.5 miles from Paducah, KY, or about 2h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.2 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 69 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 156.5 miles or 2h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alexandria, KY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Paducah, 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 Paducah, KY
This is one driving day of about 312.9 miles and 5h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 69 miles from Paducah, 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 Western Kentucky Parkway for about 99.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 156.5 mi from Paducah, KY · 2h 52m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
156 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 69 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 156.5 miles from Paducah, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Western Kentucky Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.2 miles.
Arriving in Alexandria, KY
The final approach into Alexandria, KY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Alexandria, KY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.92 one way
$97.84 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
110 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $53.71 | $107.42 |
| premium | $4.89 | $60.21 | $120.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $69.08 | $138.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$49
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$74–$99
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 109.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 93.9 | 1 | $32.85 | $15.02 |
| Efficient EV | 78.2 | 0 | $27.38 | $12.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 125.2 | 1 | $43.81 | $20.03 |
Gas CO2
109 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Alexandria, KY
Afternoon in Alexandria on Friday
Local time
3:43 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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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
5h 59m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Paducah, KY to Alexandria, KY covers 312.9 miles and takes about 5h 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Western Kentucky Parkway, I 71, I 69. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 156.5 miles from Paducah, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $48.92 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 30 significant decision points across 312.9 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 72.2 miles (Western Kentucky Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 171.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 210.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Paducah, KY and Alexandria, KY, road signs point toward Princeton, Elizabethtown, Louisville, Airport and Verona.
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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