Getting Around Lexington-Fayette
Lexington is a relatively spread-out city, though not a large one. Unless you are mainly visiting the downtown or the university campus — which are within walking distance of each other — you will find that getting around by car is the most convenient method. The city's roads form a wheel-and-spokes pattern: arterial roads radiate from downtown, and New Circle Road (KY-4, sometimes called "Circle 4") forms a circle around the inner city. The radial roads are mostly named after the neighboring towns they lead to, such as Nicholasville, Richmond, and Winchester, though as you approach downtown they take on different names. Directions in Lexington will frequently start with "Take New Circle to ____ Road, then turn north/south."
Rail, Metro and Tram
Lexington has no local rail, metro, or tram network for getting around the city. The nearest passenger train service is Amtrak's Cardinal, with stations in Maysville and in Cincinnati, Ohio — both about a 1½ hour drive away. Service runs only every other day, and both trains arrive and depart at night, so rail is not a practical option for most visitors moving around the region.
Buses and Public Transport
Bus service in Lexington is provided by Lextran, which runs from the downtown Transit Center to many parts of town and to the airport. Most mainlines run every 35 minutes during business hours; others run every 35 minutes only during rush hours and every 60 minutes at all other times. Buses operate Monday through Friday from 5AM to midnight, Saturday from 7AM to midnight, and Sunday from 7AM to 9PM.
- Fare is $1.
- Transfers between routes are free and can be obtained when paying your fare.
- Transfers are good for an hour and a half but cannot be used for round trips on the same route.
- Buses can be tracked in real time on Lextran's MyStop website or from Google Maps.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis should be called in advance, as they are not easily hailed on the street. There is a taxi stand in front of the airport, and from 6PM to 6AM a taxi stand operates at the corner of Main and Upper Streets, next to the old courthouse. Hotel shuttles are also plentiful at the airport.
Walking and Driving
Downtown Lexington is compact and easily navigated by foot or bicycle, but the most typical way to get around is by car. Cars can be rented at the airport or at several locations in the city. Downtown, Main Street divides cross-streets north and south, and Limestone marks east versus west; addresses downtown usually specify a cardinal direction, which gives a clue to what area of the city you're in.
Driving brings its own considerations. Traffic can be challenging during rush hours, and Nicholasville Road has reversible lanes to help the flow — be aware of the lights, which change throughout the day to accommodate traffic. A green arrow indicates appropriate lanes for driving, white turn-only arrows indicate a center turning lane, and a red X indicates lanes in use by oncoming traffic. If possible, avoid traveling north on Nicholasville Road during the evening rush hour, as most lanes switch to southbound traffic to let people exit downtown. Traffic is also heavy near the University of Kentucky on basketball or football days: downtown can be quite congested when UK plays at Rupp Arena, and Tates Creek Road and Nicholasville Road both move very slowly when UK plays at Kroger Field.
Be aware that most major arterial streets have multiple names, especially as you approach downtown — Nicholasville Road becomes Limestone, Harrodsburg Road becomes Broadway, and so on. This is also true of many smaller streets. When you ask for directions, locals may not know exactly what the street is called where you're going, so remember that the same road may go by any of those names at your destination. Almost all the arterials, and many smaller roads, are also numbered U.S. Highways or Kentucky State Roads, but no one refers to them by number — the sole exception being New Circle Road, which is KY-4 and sometimes called "Circle 4," though more often just "New Circle."
Getting from the Airport into the City
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) is a medium-sized regional airport with service from Allegiant, American, Delta, and United, and daily non-stop service to more than a dozen cities. It deposits passengers directly adjacent to Keeneland Race Course and just a few miles from downtown. International facilities including customs are available, but no carriers operate scheduled international flights, so most passengers will go through customs at a connecting airport.
- Bus: Lextran provides express bus service from the airport, once per hour from 6AM to 6PM.
- Car rental: All major brands of car rental agencies have service at the airport.
- Taxis and shuttles: Taxis and hotel shuttles are plentiful, and there is a taxi stand in front of the airport.
If you need a larger airport, Louisville's Standiford Field (SDF) and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG) are both about a 1½ hour drive from Lexington.
Arriving by Car or Bus
Travellers usually access Lexington via one of the two major interstates that arc around the northern and eastern borders of the city. I-64 runs east to west, connecting Lexington with Louisville to the west, while I-75 runs north to south, connecting Lexington with Cincinnati and Knoxville. Neither interstate penetrates into the city. For access to the far side of the city, use New Circle Road (State Route 4), a loop road of which three-quarters is highway-grade, or during non-peak hours you can simply take an arterial road through downtown. The area is also served by the Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway, starting near Versailles and ending at I-65 in Elizabethtown, and the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway, which starts just east of Lexington and provides access to the Appalachian region. Greyhound service is available at the Lexington Greyhound Station on the north side of town, about ten minutes from the downtown area.