Origin
Paducah, KY
Afternoon in Paducah on Sunday
Local time
3:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Paducah, KY to Bardstown, KY
Drive Time
3h 39m
Distance
196.8 mi
317 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 27m
★
6 AM
3h 39m
8 AM
4h 4m
10 AM
3h 48m
12 PM
3h 46m
3 PM
3h 49m
5 PM
4h 3m
8 PM
3h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paducah, KY
Vietnam Hidden Light
Bardstown, KY
Brady Wilson
Trip Overview
The drive from Paducah, KY to Bardstown, KY covers 196.8 miles and takes about 3h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South 4th Street, Wayne Sullivan Drive, Clarks River Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.89 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
98.4 miles from Paducah, KY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 49m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 39m drive with frequent turns across 196.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South 4th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Paducah, KY to Bardstown, KY is easy. At 3h 39m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Paducah, KY to Bardstown, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South 4th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Wayne Sullivan Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Clarks River Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Reidland Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Kentucky Dam Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 69 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Western Kentucky Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 65 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
South 4th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paducah, KY and Bardstown, KY.
1
Start on Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Washington Street
2
Turn right onto South 4th Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South 4th Street
3
Continue on Wayne Sullivan Drive
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Wayne Sullivan Drive
4
Turn left onto Clarks River Road
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Clarks River Road
5
Turn straight onto Reidland Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Reidland Road
6
Turn straight onto Kentucky Dam Road
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Kentucky Dam Road
7
Turn right
1.1 mi
·
1 min
8
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
9
Merge slight left
25 mi
·
26 min
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 69 North: Elizabethtown, Princeton
38 mi
·
41 min
·
I 69 North: Elizabethtown, Princeton
11
Keep slight right to continue on Western Kentucky Parkway
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Western Kentucky Parkway
12
Continue on Western Kentucky Parkway
99 mi
·
1 hr 46 min
·
Western Kentucky Parkway
13
Take the exit slight right toward I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
14
Keep slight left to continue on I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 65 North: Lexington, Louisville
15
Merge slight left
1.4 mi
·
1 min
16
Take the exit slight right toward Lexington, Bardstown
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lexington, Bardstown
17
Continue on Bluegrass Parkway
20 mi
·
21 min
·
Bluegrass Parkway
18
Take the exit slight right toward Bardstown, New Haven
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Bardstown, New Haven
19
Turn left onto New Haven Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
New Haven Road
20
Continue on Cathedral Manor
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Cathedral Manor
21
Continue on West Stephen Foster Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Stephen Foster Avenue
22
Enter the roundabout toward Court Square
512 ft
·
8 sec
·
Court Square
23
Arrive at your destination
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 98.4 miles from Paducah, KY, or about 1h 49m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.4 miles or 1h 49m 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 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bardstown, 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 196.8 miles and 3h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 98.4 mi from Paducah, KY · 1h 49m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
98 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 98.4 miles from Paducah, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bardstown, KY
The final approach into Bardstown, 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 Bardstown, 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
$29.89 one way
$59.78 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
69 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $32.95 | $65.90 |
| premium | $4.80 | $37.15 | $74.30 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $43.72 | $87.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 59 | 0 | $20.66 | $9.45 |
| Efficient EV | 49.2 | 0 | $17.22 | $7.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 78.7 | 0 | $27.55 | $12.60 |
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 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.
Destination
Bardstown, KY
Afternoon in Bardstown on Sunday
Local time
4:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
81°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
1 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
3h 39m 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 Paducah, KY to Bardstown, KY covers 196.8 miles and takes about 3h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South 4th Street, Wayne Sullivan Drive, Clarks River Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 98.4 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 $29.89 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Paducah, KY to Bardstown, KY is easy. At 3h 39m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Paducah, KY to Bardstown, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Paducah, KY to Bardstown, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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