Origin
Richmond, KY
Late night in Richmond on Saturday
Local time
4:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Richmond, 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 27m
Distance
78.7 mi
127 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Richmond, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Simpsonville, KY
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Richmond, KY to Simpsonville, KY covers 78.7 miles and takes about 1h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 64, I 75, Lexington Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 46.9 miles on I 64. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.30 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 78.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 27m highway drive covering 78.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 64 and I 75. The longest continuous stretch is about 46.9 miles on I 64.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 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 46.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 64 and I 75. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 78.7 miles you will encounter 7 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: near the start (US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.1 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street
Turn right onto US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 75
Merge onto I 75
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
30.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 64
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64 toward I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville
7
76.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m 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
77.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Simpsonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Simpsonville
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 Richmond, KY to Simpsonville, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Louisville along the way.
Louisville
30.1 mi in
|
~33m
|
via I 64
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 64 | 46.9 mi | 50m |
| I 75 | 27.4 mi | 29m |
| Lexington Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Shelbyville Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Simpsonville-Buck Creek Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Buckcreek Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North 2nd Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 46.9 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Richmond, KY and Simpsonville, KY.
1
Start on KY 388
104 ft
·
6 sec
·
North 2nd Street
2
Turn right onto US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
West Main Street
3
Continue on US 25 Business; US 421 Business
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Lexington Road
4
Turn left onto US 25; US 421
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Lexington Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
6
Merge onto I 75
27 mi
·
29 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
47 mi
·
50 min
·
I 64
Toward I 64 West: Frankfort, Louisville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 28
Toward KY 1848: Simpsonville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
200 ft
·
4 sec
Toward Simpsonville
Use the right lane.
10
Turn straight onto KY 1848
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Simpsonville-Buck Creek Road
11
Continue on KY 1848
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Buckcreek Road
12
Turn left onto US 60; KY 1848
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
Shelbyville Road
13
Turn right onto KY 1848
65 ft
·
1 sec
·
3rd Street
14
Arrive at destination
KY 1848
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 39.4 mi from Richmond, KY · 43m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.4 miles from Richmond, 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
$12.30 one way
$24.61 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $13.51 | $27.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $15.15 | $30.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.38 | $34.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.6 | 0 | $8.26 | $3.78 |
| Efficient EV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.89 | $3.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.5 | 0 | $11.02 | $5.04 |
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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
Simpsonville, KY
Late night in Simpsonville on Saturday
Local time
4:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
80°F
Versailles, KY
39 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
29 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 27m 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 Richmond, KY to Simpsonville, KY covers 78.7 miles and takes about 1h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 64, I 75, Lexington Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.4 miles from Richmond, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.30 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 78.7 miles you will encounter 7 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: near the start (US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.6 miles (I 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.1 miles (I 64): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Richmond, KY to Simpsonville, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Louisville along the way.
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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