City distance
How to Calculate Distance Between Two Cities
Calculate straight-line distance between two cities from latitude and longitude, and understand when road or flight distance will differ.
A coordinate calculator measures the great-circle distance between representative points, usually city centers. It answers how far apart the places are over Earth’s surface, not the distance a car, train or aircraft will actually travel.
What city-to-city distance means
A coordinate calculator measures the great-circle distance between representative points, usually city centers. It answers how far apart the places are over Earth’s surface, not the distance a car, train or aircraft will actually travel.
A worked example
| Pair | Approx. straight line | Why travel differs |
|---|---|---|
| London to Paris | 344 km / 214 mi | Route and Channel crossing |
| New York to Los Angeles | 3,936 km / 2,446 mi | Road network and flight routing |
| Athens to Rome | 1,052 km / 654 mi | Sea and airport paths |
The great-circle calculation
The haversine formula uses both coordinate pairs and an assumed Earth radius. It is accurate enough for general city comparisons, but Earth is not a perfect sphere and a city does not have one universal center point.
Choosing the right distance
Use straight-line distance for geographic comparison and an early flight estimate. Use a routing service for driving mileage, borders, ferries and journey time. Record whether your result is in kilometers or miles.
Coordinates, units and reproducibility
Databases can assign different coordinates to the same metropolitan area. When precision matters, record the points or use exact coordinates for airports, offices or landmarks. Convert kilometers to miles with 1 km approximately equal to 0.621371 miles.
Do not infer journey time from distance alone. Traffic, terrain, borders and transport schedules dominate duration. Straight-line distance and route distance answer different questions.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Is city distance measured center to center?
Usually. The selected coordinates commonly represent a city center or reference point.
Why is driving distance longer?
Roads cannot follow the direct great-circle path and must account for terrain, borders and available crossings.
Can I add a third city?
Yes, when the calculator supports multiple stops; compare each leg separately rather than treating it as one direct route.
Are flight distances exact?
No. Real flights follow airways, weather diversions and airport-specific endpoints.
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