Why use this calculator
A road trip planner combines distance, speed, fuel costs, and stops into a single comprehensive overview so you can realistically plan your travel day. Many travelers underestimate trip duration by forgetting to account for rest stops, fuel stops, and meal breaks. This calculator gives you an honest picture of when you will arrive and what the trip will cost, helping you plan departure times, overnight stops, and travel budgets.
How to use it
Select your preferred unit system (metric or imperial). Enter the total trip distance, your expected average speed (accounting for some slower sections), your vehicle's fuel efficiency (MPG or L/100km), the current fuel price, and how many stops you plan to make along with the average duration of each stop. The calculator provides your pure drive time, total trip time with stops, and complete fuel cost breakdown.
The formula
Drive Time = Distance / Average Speed. Stop Time = Number of Stops x Stop Duration. Total Trip Time = Drive Time + Stop Time. Imperial: Fuel Cost = (Distance / MPG) x Fuel Price. Metric: Fuel Cost = (L/100km / 100 x Distance) x Fuel Price. Times are converted to hours and minutes for easy reading.
Worked examples
1,000-mile trip at 65 mph, 28 MPG, $3.50/gal, 2 stops of 30 min each
15h 23m drive time, 16h 23m total, $125.00 fuel cost
1,600 km trip at 105 km/h, 8 L/100km, $1.80/litre, 3 stops of 30 min
15h 14m drive time, 16h 44m total, $230.40 fuel cost
When people use it
- Planning departure times to arrive by a specific hour
- Budgeting total travel costs for vacation planning
- Deciding whether to drive or fly based on time and cost comparisons
- Coordinating multi-driver schedules for long-distance trips
Tips
- Plan rest stops every 2-3 hours to maintain alertness and safety
- Average speed should be lower than the speed limit to account for traffic, construction, and slower sections
- Budget extra time for areas with heavy traffic, especially near major cities
- Consider splitting very long trips across two days for safety and comfort
Questions people ask
- What average speed should I use?
- Use 100-110 km/h (60-65 mph) for highway trips, 70-90 km/h (45-55 mph) for mixed highway and rural roads, and 40-55 km/h (25-35 mph) for primarily urban routes. Actual averages are always lower than speed limits due to traffic, construction zones, and towns along the route.
- How many stops should I plan?
- Plan a stop every 2-3 hours or 200-300 km (150-200 miles) as a minimum for safety. Longer stops for meals (30-60 min) and shorter stops for fuel/restrooms (10-20 min). Factor in about 10-15 minutes for each fuel stop even if you don't need a full break.
- How can I reduce my trip fuel costs?
- Drive at moderate speeds (90-105 km/h or 55-65 mph), use cruise control on highways, minimize idling, keep tires properly inflated, remove unnecessary cargo weight, and use apps to find the cheapest fuel stations along your route.