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Trip from Russell Springs, KY to Richmond, KY

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 38m

Distance

82.7 mi

133 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 22 min
4 AM
1h 31m ★
6 AM
1h 38m
8 AM
1h 53m
10 AM
1h 43m
12 PM
1h 42m
3 PM
1h 44m
5 PM
1h 52m
8 PM
1h 34m

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

Downtown Russell Springs, KY, KY

Russell Springs, KY

Vietnam Hidden Light

city in and the county seat of Madison County, Kentucky, United States

Richmond, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Russell Springs, KY to Richmond, KY covers 82.7 miles and takes about 1h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 75, Cumberland Parkway, KY 461 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.5 miles on I 75. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.93 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.

Midpoint

41.3 miles from Russell Springs, KY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 38m. Total distance: 82.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 38m highway drive covering 82.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 75 and Cumberland Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 24.5 miles on I 75.

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.
I 75 is the longest continuous segment at about 24.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and Cumberland Parkway. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near US 127.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 82.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.1 miles (US 127): Navigation decision point; at 25 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 127

Turn right onto US 127

Navigation decision point

6
25 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward KY 914: Somerset, Burnside

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 86 Toward KY 914: Somerset, Burnside
5
55.5 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in

Take the exit

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
80.2 mi into trip | ~1h 33m in

Take the exit toward KY 876: Richmond, Lancaster

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward KY 876: Richmond, Lancaster
5
82.7 mi into trip | ~1h 38m in | KY 388 / North 2nd Street

Turn left onto KY 388 / North 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

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 Russell Springs, KY to Richmond, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Burnside along the way.

Burnside

25 mi in | ~28m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 75 24.5 mi 26m
Cumberland Parkway 23.2 mi 24m
KY 461 17.6 mi 20m
KY 80 10.7 mi 14m
Lancaster Avenue 1 mi 1m
Maple Street 0.9 mi 2m
Eastern Bypass 0.9 mi 1m
Richmond Street 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 75 — 24.5 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Russell Springs, KY and Richmond, KY.

1

Start on KY 379

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Main Street
2

Turn right onto KY 619

0.9 mi · 2 min · Maple Street
3

Turn right onto US 127

0.3 mi · 22 sec · US 127
4

Turn left

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Toward Cumberland Parkway East
5

Merge onto Cumberland Parkway

23 mi · 24 min · Cumberland Parkway
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Exit 86 Toward KY 914: Somerset, Burnside
7

Continue on KY 914

0.4 mi · 33 sec · KY 914
8

Turn left onto KY 80

11 mi · 14 min · KY 80
Use the left lane.
9

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
10

Turn straight onto KY 461

18 mi · 20 min · KY 461
11

Continue on US 25

0.8 mi · 1 min · Richmond Street
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Use the left lane.
13

Merge onto I 75

25 mi · 26 min · I 75
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward KY 876: Richmond, Lancaster
15

Keep slight right at fork

324 ft · 9 sec
16

Turn straight onto KY 876

0.9 mi · 1 min · Eastern Bypass
17

Turn left onto KY 52

1.0 mi · 1 min · Lancaster Avenue
18

At end of road, turn right onto US 25 Business; US 421 Business; KY 52

0.2 mi · 24 sec · West Main Street
19

Turn left onto KY 388

104 ft · 2 sec · North 2nd Street
20

Arrive at destination

KY 388

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 41.3 miles from Russell Springs, KY, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.5 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 18 miles or 21m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 41.3 miles or 50m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 23m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Richmond, KY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Russell Springs, KY so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Russell Springs, KY

This is one driving day of about 82.7 miles and 1h 38m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Russell Springs, KY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 24.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 41.3 mi from Russell Springs, KY · 50m into the drive

Downtown Somerset, KY, KY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Somerset, KY

41 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

Somerset, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mount Vernon, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 41.3 miles from Russell Springs, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Richmond, KY

The final approach into Richmond, 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

$12.93 one way

$25.86 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 29 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $14.20 $28.39
premium $4.89 $15.91 $31.83
diesel $5.61 $18.26 $36.52

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 28.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 24.8 0 $8.68 $3.97
Efficient EV 20.7 0 $7.24 $3.31
EV Truck/SUV 33.1 0 $11.58 $5.29

Gas CO2

29 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Russell Springs, KY

Night in Russell Springs on Friday

Local time

11:23 PM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Richmond, KY

Late night in Richmond on Saturday

Local time

12:23 AM

EDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

49°F

Somerset, KY

41 mi in

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

23 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

1h 38m 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 Springs, KY to Richmond, KY covers 82.7 miles and takes about 1h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 75, Cumberland Parkway, KY 461. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 41.3 miles from Russell Springs, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.93 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 82.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.1 miles (US 127): Navigation decision point; at 25 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

On the drive from Russell Springs, KY to Richmond, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Burnside 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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