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Trip from South Amherst, OH to Columbus, OH

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

Drive Time

2h 4m

Distance

118.1 mi

190 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$18

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 55m ★
6 AM
2h 4m
8 AM
2h 22m
10 AM
2h 10m
12 PM
2h 9m
3 PM
2h 11m
5 PM
2h 21m
8 PM
1h 59m

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

Downtown South Amherst, OH, OH

South Amherst, OH

Connor Scott McManus

capital city of Ohio, United States of America

Columbus, OH

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from South Amherst, OH to Columbus, OH covers 118.1 miles and takes about 2h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on West Main Street, Telegraph Road, Baumhart Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.33 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

59.1 miles from South Amherst, OH

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 2m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 4m. Total distance: 118.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 4m drive with frequent turns across 118.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from South Amherst, OH to Columbus, OH is easy. At 2h 4m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from South Amherst, OH to Columbus, OH is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
West Main Street
Telegraph Road
Baumhart Road
Kipton East Road
Ashland-Kipton Road
South State Street
East Main Street
I 670 East

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: West Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Amherst, OH and Columbus, OH.

1

Start on Leonard Street

236 ft · 18 sec · Leonard Street
2

Turn sharp left onto West Main Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
3

Continue on Telegraph Road

0.6 mi · 54 sec · Telegraph Road
4

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Baumhart Road

213 ft · 3 sec · Baumhart Road
5

Exit the roundabout onto Baumhart Road

6.0 mi · 8 min · Baumhart Road
6

Turn right onto Kipton East Road

1.5 mi · 2 min · Kipton East Road
7

Keep left

315 ft · 6 sec
8

Turn straight onto Ashland-Kipton Road

9.2 mi · 12 min · Ashland-Kipton Road
9

Continue on South State Street

0.5 mi · 53 sec · South State Street
10

Continue on Ashland-Kipton Road

8.6 mi · 15 min · Ashland-Kipton Road
11

Keep slight right

0.3 mi · 30 sec
12

Keep slight left

4.0 mi · 7 min
13

Turn slight left

3.6 mi · 6 min
14

Turn left

1.8 mi · 2 min
15

At the end of the road, turn right

1.0 mi · 1 min
16

Turn left onto East Main Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · East Main Street
17

Take the exit right

0.5 mi · 1 min
18

Merge slight left

76 mi · 1 hr 22 min
19

Take the exit slight right toward I 670 East, I 670 West: Airport, Dayton

0.3 mi · 41 sec · I 670 East, I 670 West: Airport, Dayton
20

Keep slight right to continue on I 670 West: Dayton

0.3 mi · 36 sec · I 670 West: Dayton
21

Merge slight left onto Northeast Freeway

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Northeast Freeway
22

Keep slight left to continue on Northeast Freeway

0.6 mi · 54 sec · Northeast Freeway
23

Turn straight onto North Third Street

0.7 mi · 2 min · North Third Street
24

Turn right onto East State Street

105 ft · 4 sec · East State Street
25

Turn right

89 ft · 7 sec
26

Arrive at your destination

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 59.1 miles from South Amherst, OH, or about 1h 2m into the drive.

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 26 miles or 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 59.1 miles or 1h 2m 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 41m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving South Amherst, OH so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from South Amherst, OH

This is one driving day of about 118.1 miles and 2h 4m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from South Amherst, OH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 59.1 mi from South Amherst, OH · 1h 2m into the drive

Downtown Ashland, OH, OH

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ashland, OH

59 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.

Popular next leg

Ashland, OH to Columbus, OH

79.7 mi · 1h 32m

Pacing Suggestions

West Salem, OH

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ashland, OH

Meal break

The midpoint is around 59.1 miles from South Amherst, OH, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Columbus, OH

The final approach into Columbus, OH usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Columbus, OH.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$18.33 one way

$36.66 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 41 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.38 $20.34 $40.68
premium $4.91 $22.82 $45.65
diesel $5.61 $26.07 $52.15

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$18

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$43–$68

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 41.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 35.4 0 $12.40 $5.67
Efficient EV 29.5 0 $10.33 $4.72
EV Truck/SUV 47.2 0 $16.53 $7.56

Gas CO2

41 kg

EV CO2

14 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

South Amherst, OH

Late night in South Amherst on Saturday

Local time

3:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Columbus, OH

Late night in Columbus on Saturday

Local time

3:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

68°F

Ashland, OH

59 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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

16 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

2h 4m 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 South Amherst, OH to Columbus, OH covers 118.1 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are West Main Street, Telegraph Road, Baumhart Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 59.1 miles from South Amherst, OH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.33 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.

The drive from South Amherst, OH to Columbus, OH is easy. At 2h 4m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from South Amherst, OH to Columbus, OH is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from South Amherst, OH to Columbus, 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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