Origin
Simpsonville, KY
Late night in Simpsonville on Saturday
Local time
12:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Simpsonville, KY to Lexington, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
57.6 mi
93 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Simpsonville, KY
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Simpsonville, KY to Lexington, KY covers 57.6 miles and takes about 1h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 64, Frankfort Road, New Circle Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29.8 miles on I 64. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.01 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 57.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Simpsonville, KY to Lexington, KY covers 57.6 miles and takes about 1h 10m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 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 29.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near I 64.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.6 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 1.9 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 64
Merge onto I 64
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
31.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward US 60: Frankfort, Versailles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 58
Toward US 60: Frankfort, Versailles
6
32 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Versailles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Versailles
5
50.5 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
KY 4 / New Circle Road
Merge onto KY 4 / New Circle Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
56.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward KY 1974: Lexington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 18
Toward KY 1974: Lexington
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 Simpsonville, KY to Lexington, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Versailles along the way.
Versailles
31.7 mi in
|
~35m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 64 | 29.8 mi | 31m |
| Frankfort Road | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| New Circle Road | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Versailles Road | 5 mi | 6m |
| Lexington Road | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Frankfort Highway | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Versailles Bypass | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| Gainesway Drive | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 64
— 29.8 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Simpsonville, KY and Lexington, KY.
1
Start on KY 1848
65 ft
·
8 sec
·
3rd Street
2
Turn left onto US 60; KY 1848
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
Shelbyville Road
3
Turn right onto KY 1848
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Buckcreek Road
4
Continue on KY 1848
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Simpsonville-Buck Creek Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 64 East
6
Merge onto I 64
30 mi
·
31 min
·
I 64
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 58
Toward US 60: Frankfort, Versailles
8
Keep slight right at fork
249 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Versailles
9
Merge onto US 60
0.6 mi
·
45 sec
·
Versailles Road
10
Continue on US 60
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Frankfort Highway
11
Continue on US 60
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Frankfort Road
12
Continue on US 60
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Versailles Bypass
13
Turn slight left onto US 60
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Lexington Road
14
Continue on US 60
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Versailles Road
Use the left lane.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward KY 4 South: New Circle Road
16
Merge onto KY 4
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
New Circle Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 18
Toward KY 1974: Lexington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn right onto KY 1974
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Tates Creek Road
19
Turn left onto Gainesway Drive
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Gainesway Drive
20
Turn left onto Coldstream Drive
261 ft
·
9 sec
·
Coldstream Drive
21
Arrive at destination
Coldstream Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.8 mi from Simpsonville, KY · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.8 miles from Simpsonville, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Lexington, KY
The final approach into Lexington, 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
$9.01 one way
$18.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.89 | $19.77 |
| premium | $4.89 | $11.08 | $22.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.72 | $25.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.05 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.06 | $3.69 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Lexington, KY
Late night in Lexington on Saturday
Local time
12:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 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 10m 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 Simpsonville, KY to Lexington, KY covers 57.6 miles and takes about 1h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 64, Frankfort Road, New Circle Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.8 miles from Simpsonville, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.01 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 57.6 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 1.9 miles (I 64): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Simpsonville, KY to Lexington, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Versailles along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Camp Nelson National Monument.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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