Distance Calculator Straight-Line Distance Between Two Places
This free distance calculator finds the distance between two places in kilometres and miles. Enter GPS coordinates (or use your location) to get the exact straight-line distance, as the crow flies, with the compass direction and the halfway point. Type two place names instead to see the driving, walking or cycling route and distance on a Google map.
Step 1: Enter the two places
Coordinates give an exact straight-line answer here. Place names are looked up by Google Maps when you press the button.
Step 2: Choose how to measure
Step 3: Press Find distance
Straight-line distance
| Kilometres | |
|---|---|
| Miles | |
| Nautical miles | |
| Direction from A to B | |
| Halfway point |
Private by design: straight-line distances are worked out in your browser. Your location is used only if you press Use my location. When you press Find distance, the two places go only to Google Maps to draw the map, never to QuickOnlineTips, and nothing is stored. Map data © Google. QuickOnlineTips is not affiliated with Google.
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About this tool
Quick answer: Type two sets of coordinates (or press Use my location for one of them), keep Straight line selected and press Find distance. You get the distance as the crow flies in kilometres, miles and nautical miles, the compass direction and the halfway point. For road distance, type place names and choose Driving.
How to find the distance between two places
- In From and To, type coordinates such as
40.7128, -74.0060, coordinates in degrees, minutes and seconds, or a place name or address. Press Use my location to fill in where you are now. - Choose Straight line for the direct distance, or Driving, Walking or Cycling for a route.
- Press Find distance. With coordinates you get exact numbers below the button. The map shows the line or route; for routes, the distance and travel time are shown on the map.
Tip: to get the coordinates of any spot, open Google Maps on a computer, right-click the spot and click the numbers at the top of the menu to copy them. On a phone, press and hold the spot. Our My Location tool shows your own coordinates.
What does “as the crow flies” mean?
It means the shortest distance over the surface of the Earth between two points, ignoring roads, rivers and mountains. This is also called the great-circle distance. It is what pilots, sailors and radio users plan with, and it is always shorter than the road distance. Road trips are usually 20 to 40 percent longer than the straight line.
How the distance is calculated
The tool uses the haversine formula on a sphere with the Earth’s mean radius of 6,371 km (3,958.8 miles). This is accurate to within about 0.5 percent anywhere on Earth, which is a few kilometres on a very long flight and a few metres across a city. The direction is the initial compass bearing from A towards B, and the halfway point is the point on the great circle midway between them.
FAQ
Why does the straight-line distance differ from the driving distance?
Roads bend around hills, water and buildings, so a drive is always longer than the straight line. Choose Driving to see the actual road route and its length on the map.
Can I find the halfway point between two cities?
Yes. Enter both as coordinates and the result shows the halfway point, with a link to open it on a map so you can look for a place to meet.
Is my location shared?
Only if you press Use my location, and then only inside your browser. Coordinates and place names go to Google Maps when you press Find distance so the map can be drawn. QuickOnlineTips never receives them.
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