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Trip from Paducah, KY to Newport, KY

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

5h 53m

Distance

313.7 mi

505 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$49

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
5h 41m ★
6 AM
5h 54m
8 AM
6h 20m
10 AM
6h 3m
12 PM
6h 0m
3 PM
6h 4m
5 PM
6h 19m
8 PM
5h 46m

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

Downtown Paducah, KY, KY

Paducah, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Newport, KY, KY

Newport, KY

Vietnam Hidden Light

Trip Overview

The drive from Paducah, KY to Newport, KY covers 313.7 miles and takes about 5h 53m 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 $49.04 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

156.9 miles from Paducah, KY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 56m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 53m. Total distance: 313.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 53m drive with frequent turns across 313.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 5h 53m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Paducah, KY to Newport, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South 4th Street
Wayne Sullivan Drive
Clarks River Road
Reidland Road
Kentucky Dam Road
I 69 North
Western Kentucky Parkway
I 65 North

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: South 4th Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Paducah, KY and Newport, 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

38 mi · 41 min
16

Take the exit slight right toward I 264: Watterson Expressway, Airport

0.7 mi · 59 sec · I 264: Watterson Expressway, Airport
17

Keep slight right to continue on I 264 East: Watterson Expressway

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 264 East: Watterson Expressway
18

Merge slight left onto Henry Watterson Expressway

10 mi · 13 min · Henry Watterson Expressway
19

Keep slight right to continue on I 71 North: Cincinnati

0.4 mi · 32 sec · I 71 North: Cincinnati
20

Merge slight left

71 mi · 1 hr 16 min
21

Keep slight left to continue on I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati

18 mi · 21 min · I 75 North, I 71 North: Cincinnati
22

Take the exit slight right toward 12th Street, Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Pike Street, Covington

0.3 mi · 44 sec · 12th Street, Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Pike Street, Covington
23

Turn right onto West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard

1.1 mi · 2 min · West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
24

Continue on West 11th Street

0.2 mi · 42 sec · West 11th Street
25

Turn left onto Brighton Street

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Brighton Street
26

Turn right onto West 10th Street

0.3 mi · 47 sec · West 10th Street
27

Turn left onto Central Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Central Avenue
28

Turn right onto West 5th Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · West 5th Street
29

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 156.9 miles from Paducah, KY, or about 2h 56m 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 69 miles or 1h 17m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 156.9 miles or 2h 56m 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 50m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Newport, 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 313.7 miles and 5h 53m.

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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 156.9 mi from Paducah, KY · 2h 56m into the drive

Downtown Vine Grove, KY, KY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Vine Grove, KY

157 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

Madisonville, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 69 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Vine Grove, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 156.9 miles from Paducah, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Newport, KY

The final approach into Newport, 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 Newport, 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

$49.04 one way

$98.09 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 110 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $53.85 $107.70
premium $4.89 $60.37 $120.74
diesel $5.61 $69.26 $138.52

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: 109.8 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 94.1 1 $32.94 $15.06
Efficient EV 78.4 0 $27.45 $12.55
EV Truck/SUV 125.5 1 $43.92 $20.08

Gas CO2

110 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Paducah, KY

Morning in Paducah on Thursday

Local time

11:02 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Newport, KY

Afternoon in Newport on Thursday

Local time

12:02 PM

EDT

Current temp

54°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

8 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 53m 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 Newport, KY covers 313.7 miles and takes about 5h 53m 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 156.9 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 $49.04 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 straightforward 5h 53m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Paducah, KY to Newport, KY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Paducah, KY to Newport, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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