Origin
Russell, OH
Night in Russell on Friday
Local time
11:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Russell, OH to Cincinnati, OH
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
53.7 mi
86 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Russell, OH
Jovan Vasiljević
Cincinnati, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Russell, OH to Cincinnati, OH covers 53.7 miles and takes about 1h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 50, Circle Freeway, James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.1 miles on US 50. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Cincinnati, OH
Full guide →Cincinnati is Ohio's third largest city and the largest metro region, and lies on the north bank of the Ohio River in Southwest Ohio in the United States of America. Cincinnati is distinct amongst Midwestern cities. Its culture is a mixture of the Northeast, Old South, Midwest, and Appalachia blended with a strong German-Catholic heritage. It was one of the United States' early boomtowns, and the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is the largest National Historic District in the country. Today, it's part of a fast-growing metro area, and home to a remarkable blend of industry and architecture. Downtown Cincinnati is surrounded by picturesque foothills that add a beautiful backdrop to the Queen City and its legendary skyline – celebrated in the opening credits of television show WKRP in Cincinnati.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 53.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 18m highway drive covering 53.7 miles, with most of the trip on US 50 and Circle Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 23.1 miles on US 50.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 50 is the longest continuous segment at about 23.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 50 and Circle Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 24.2 miles in near SR 132; SR 276 / South Broadway Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 24.2 miles (SR 132; SR 276 / South Broadway Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 45.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 51.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
24.2 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
SR 132; SR 276 / South Broadway Street
Turn left onto SR 132; SR 276 / South Broadway Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
45.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward I 471 North: Newport, Cincinnati
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 74B
Toward I 471 North: Newport, Cincinnati
9
51.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward US 42 North: Reading Road, Eden Park Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 2
Toward US 42 North: Reading Road, Eden Park Dri...
8
52 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 42 North: Reading Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 42 North: Reading Road
6
52.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
William Howard Taft Road
Turn left onto William Howard Taft Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 50 | 23.1 mi | 34m |
| Circle Freeway | 10 mi | 11m |
| James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| I 471 | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| SR 132 | 3 mi | 5m |
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| Russell Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Reading Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 50
— 23.1 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Russell, OH and Cincinnati, OH.
1
Start on C-6
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Russell Road
2
Turn right onto US 50
23 mi
·
34 min
·
US 50
3
Turn left onto SR 132; SR 276
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Broadway Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on SR 132
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
SR 132
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Toward SR 32 West
6
Merge onto SR 32
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 275 South: Kentucky
8
Merge onto I 275
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Circle Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 275
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 74B
Toward I 471 North: Newport, Cincinnati
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 471
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
I 471
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 71
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Northeast Expressway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 2
Toward US 42 North: Reading Road, Eden Park Drive
Use the slight left lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
520 ft
·
12 sec
Toward US 42 North: Reading Road
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto US 42
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Reading Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn straight onto Burnet Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Burnet Avenue
17
Turn left onto William Howard Taft Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
William Howard Taft Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Continue on Calhoun Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Calhoun Street
19
Turn left onto Ohio Avenue
340 ft
·
13 sec
·
Ohio Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Ohio Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.9 mi from Russell, OH · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.9 miles from Russell, OH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cincinnati, OH
The final approach into Cincinnati, OH 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
$8.33 one way
$16.67 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $9.25 | $18.50 |
| premium | $4.91 | $10.38 | $20.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.86 | $23.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.52 | $3.44 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Cincinnati, OH
Night in Cincinnati on Friday
Local time
11:44 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Batavia, OH
27 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 18m 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 Russell, OH to Cincinnati, OH covers 53.7 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 50, Circle Freeway, James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.9 miles from Russell, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.33 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 53.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 24.2 miles (SR 132; SR 276 / South Broadway Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 45.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 51.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Russell, OH to Cincinnati, OH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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