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Trip from Simpsonville, KY to Nicholasville, KY

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

Drive Time

1h 12m

Distance

58 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

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 6m ★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m

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

Downtown Simpsonville, KY, KY

Simpsonville, KY

Tom Fisk

city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States

Nicholasville, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Simpsonville, KY to Nicholasville, KY covers 58 miles and takes about 1h 12m 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, Keene 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 $8.61 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 58 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

The drive from Simpsonville, KY to Nicholasville, KY covers 58 miles and takes about 1h 12m, 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 23 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. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 60; KY 1848 / Shelbyville Road.

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 58 miles you will encounter 11 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 60; KY 1848 / Shelbyville Road): Navigation decision point; 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.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 60; KY 1848 / Shelbyville Road

Turn left onto US 60; KY 1848 / Shelbyville Road

Navigation decision point

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
57.9 mi into trip | ~1h 11m in | US 27 Business / North Main Street

Turn right onto US 27 Business / North Main 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 Simpsonville, KY to Nicholasville, 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
Keene Road 5.3 mi 7m
Pinckard Pike 4.5 mi 6m
Keene-Versailles Road 2.1 mi 2m
Troy Pike 2.1 mi 3m
Frankfort Highway 1.8 mi 2m
North Main Street 1.5 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 Nicholasville, 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

Turn slight right onto US 60 Business; US 62

0.8 mi · 1 min · Frankfort Street
13

Continue on US 60 Business; US 62

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Main Street
14

Continue on KY 33

2.1 mi · 3 min · Troy Pike
15

Turn left onto KY 169

4.5 mi · 6 min · Pinckard Pike
16

Continue on KY 169

2.1 mi · 2 min · Keene-Versailles Road
17

Continue on KY 169

0.4 mi · 40 sec · Pinchard Pike
18

Turn right onto KY 169; KY 1267

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Keene Road
19

Continue on KY 169

5.1 mi · 7 min · Keene Road
20

Continue on KY 169

0.8 mi · 1 min · North 3rd Street
21

Turn left onto KY 169

0.2 mi · 22 sec · West Oak Street
22

Turn right onto US 27 Business

0.1 mi · 12 sec · North Main Street
23

Arrive at destination

US 27 Business

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 29 mi from Simpsonville, KY · 32m into the drive

palace in Versailles, France and location of the Museum of the History of France

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Versailles, KY

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

Frankfort, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Frankfort, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29 miles from Simpsonville, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Nicholasville, KY

The final approach into Nicholasville, 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

$8.61 one way

$17.22 round trip

$3.77/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $9.71 $19.42
premium $4.65 $10.63 $21.25
diesel $5.30 $12.11 $24.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.4 0 $6.09 $2.78
Efficient EV 14.5 0 $5.07 $2.32
EV Truck/SUV 23.2 0 $8.12 $3.71

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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Simpsonville, KY

Late night in Simpsonville on Saturday

Local time

5:59 AM

EDT

Current temp

80°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Nicholasville, KY

Late night in Nicholasville on Saturday

Local time

5:59 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

80°F

Versailles, KY

29 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 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 12m 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 Nicholasville, KY covers 58 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 64, Frankfort Road, Keene Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 29 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 $8.61 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 58 miles you will encounter 11 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 60; KY 1848 / Shelbyville Road): Navigation decision point; 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.

On the drive from Simpsonville, KY to Nicholasville, KY, road signs begin pointing toward Versailles 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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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