Average Speed Calculator

HealthLast updated: August 17, 2026

Average speed is the total distance covered divided by the total time taken, and it sums up the overall pace of a journey in a single number even when your speed varies along the way. Drivers use it to plan fuel and time; runners and cyclists use it to follow their training pace.

This calculator works in both directions: enter a distance and a time to see your average speed in km/h, m/s, and — for runners — as a pace per kilometer; or enter a distance and the average speed you plan to hold to find out how long the trip will take in hours and minutes.

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Formula

Average Speed (km/h) = Distance (km) / Total Time (hours)
Total Time (hours) = Hours + Minutes/60 + Seconds/3600
m/s = km/h × 1000 / 3600
Pace (min/km) = Total Time (min) / Distance (km)
Travel Time (hours) = Distance (km) / Speed (km/h)

Average speed is not the plain mean of instantaneous speeds; it is total distance over total time. If the outbound and return legs are covered at different speeds, the average always comes out below the arithmetic mean of the two speeds (it is a harmonic mean).

How to Calculate

  1. Choose the direction: are you finding speed from a time, or time from a speed?
  2. Enter the distance in kilometers (decimals are accepted, e.g. 21.1).
  3. For speed, split the time across the hours, minutes, and seconds fields; for travel time, enter the average speed you plan to hold.
  4. Read the result in km/h, m/s, and pace per kilometer for runners, or as a travel time in hours and minutes.

Worked Examples

Pace over a 10 km run

For an athlete running 10 km in 0 hours 50 minutes 0 seconds, converting the time to hours and dividing the distance by it gives an average speed of 12.00 km/h, that is 3.33 m/s; the pace is 5:00 per kilometer.

Average speed: 12.00 km/h · In meters per second: 3.33 m/s · Pace: 5:00 min/km

Intercity car journey

A car covering 450 km in 5 hours 30 minutes has an average speed of 81.82 km/h (22.73 m/s); the pace per kilometer is 0:44.

Average speed: 81.82 km/h · In meters per second: 22.73 m/s · Pace: 0:44 min/km

Estimating travel time

A 300 km trip at an average of 90 km/h takes 300 / 90 = 3.33 hours, that is about 3 hours 20 minutes; breaks are not included in this time.

Estimated travel time: 3 h 20 min · As a decimal: 3.33 hours · In minutes: 200 min

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between average speed and instantaneous speed?
Instantaneous speed is what the speedometer reads at a given moment; average speed is total distance divided by total time. Because you speed up and slow down along the way, the average is usually lower than the cruising speed you see on the dial, and stops pull it down further.
How do I convert km/h to m/s?
Divide the km/h value by 3.6: since 1 km = 1000 m and 1 hour = 3600 seconds, 1 km/h = 1000/3600 ≈ 0.278 m/s. For example, 90 km/h = 25 m/s. To convert the other way, multiply the m/s value by 3.6.
What is running pace, and how is it read?
Pace is how many minutes and seconds it takes you to cover 1 kilometer, and it is the inverse of speed: the faster you go, the smaller the pace value. A speed of 12 km/h, for example, corresponds to a pace of 5:00 min/km. Running watches and training plans usually work in pace rather than speed.
I drove out at 60 and back at 100 km/h; is my average 80?
No. When the same distance is covered at different speeds, the average speed is the harmonic mean, not the arithmetic one: 2 × 60 × 100 / (60 + 100) = 75 km/h. Because more time is spent on the slower leg, the average always falls below the arithmetic mean.
Why does my navigation app give a different arrival time?
This calculator assumes a constant average speed, while navigation apps take the speed limits along the route, live traffic, and road type into account. On long trips, remember to add your break times as well; the calculator only gives the time spent moving.
What pace should I run for a marathon?
Divide your target finishing time by the distance. To finish the 42.195 km marathon in 4 hours, for example, the pace must be 240 / 42.195 ≈ 5:41 min/km. In this calculator you can enter the distance and your target time to see the average speed and pace you need.