Kilometres to Miles Converter
Convert kilometres to miles (km to miles) and miles to kilometres (mi to km) with this accurate UK-focused converter. One kilometre equals 0.62137 miles or 0.5400 nautical miles. Essential for UK drivers travelling in Europe, runners, and cyclists using metric GPS devices on UK roads.
Kilometres ↔ Miles Converter
Speed Converter: km/h ↔ mph
Conversion Formulas
miles to km: km = miles × 1.60934
km/h to mph: mph = km/h × 0.62137
mph to km/h: km/h = mph × 1.60934
km to nautical miles: nm = km × 0.53996
Key Reference Values
Quick estimate: 8 km ≈ 5 miles • 16 km ≈ 10 miles • 100 km = 62.1 miles
Kilometres to Miles Conversion Table (1–200 km)
| Kilometres (km) | Miles | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 0.621 miles | |
| 2 km | 1.243 miles | |
| 3 km | 1.864 miles | |
| 4 km | 2.485 miles | |
| 5 km | 3.107 miles | Parkrun distance |
| 8 km | 4.971 miles | Approx 5 miles |
| 10 km | 6.214 miles | 10k race |
| 15 km | 9.321 miles | |
| 16 km | 9.942 miles | Approx 10 miles |
| 20 km | 12.427 miles | |
| 21.1 km | 13.109 miles | Half marathon |
| 25 km | 15.534 miles | |
| 30 km | 18.641 miles | |
| 40 km | 24.855 miles | |
| 42.195 km | 26.219 miles | Full marathon |
| 50 km | 31.069 miles | |
| 60 km | 37.282 miles | |
| 80 km | 49.710 miles | |
| 100 km | 62.137 miles | Century distance |
| 120 km | 74.565 miles | European motorway speed limit |
| 130 km | 80.778 miles | French/Spanish motorway limit |
| 150 km | 93.206 miles | |
| 160 km | 99.419 miles | Approx 100 miles |
| 200 km | 124.274 miles |
Speed Conversion: km/h to mph
When driving in Europe or using a European-manufactured car with a km/h primary speedometer, use this table to relate to familiar UK mph limits:
| km/h | mph | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 30 km/h | 18.6 mph | Slow urban zones in Europe |
| 50 km/h | 31.1 mph | Standard European urban limit |
| 80 km/h | 49.7 mph | European rural road limit |
| 90 km/h | 55.9 mph | Some European A-road equivalent |
| 100 km/h | 62.1 mph | Common motorway limit (Italy, etc.) |
| 110 km/h | 68.4 mph | Some European motorways |
| 120 km/h | 74.6 mph | Spanish/Italian motorway limit |
| 130 km/h | 80.8 mph | French/Belgian motorway limit |
| 140 km/h | 87.0 mph | Polish motorway limit |
UK Driving Abroad: Everything You Need to Know
Driving in Europe presents a challenge for UK motorists because UK vehicles are calibrated in mph, while all European road signs show km/h. The practical impact:
- Speedometer reading: If your speedometer shows only mph, multiply by 1.60934 to get km/h. At 60 mph, you are doing 96.6 km/h.
- Sat-nav settings: Ensure your GPS is set to km to match road signs. Most devices can be switched in settings.
- Fuel economy: European fuel efficiency is quoted in L/100km, while UK uses mpg. To convert: mpg = 282.5 ÷ (L/100km).
- Tachograph requirements: UK HGV drivers using EU tachographs must record in km/h and km.
Running Pace Conversion: min/km to min/mile
| Pace (min/km) | Pace (min/mile) | 5km time | 10km time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 min/km | 4:50 min/mile | 15:00 | 30:00 |
| 3:30 min/km | 5:38 min/mile | 17:30 | 35:00 |
| 4:00 min/km | 6:26 min/mile | 20:00 | 40:00 |
| 4:30 min/km | 7:14 min/mile | 22:30 | 45:00 |
| 5:00 min/km | 8:03 min/mile | 25:00 | 50:00 |
| 5:30 min/km | 8:51 min/mile | 27:30 | 55:00 |
| 6:00 min/km | 9:39 min/mile | 30:00 | 60:00 |
| 6:30 min/km | 10:28 min/mile | 32:30 | 65:00 |
| 7:00 min/km | 11:16 min/mile | 35:00 | 70:00 |
Cycling Computer Distance Conversion
Many cycling computers and GPS devices (Garmin, Wahoo, etc.) display distance in either km or miles. UK cyclists frequently switch between units for different events. Sportive distances are often quoted in km (Gran Fondo), while classic UK cycling events use miles. Key distances for cyclists:
| km | Miles | Cycling Context |
|---|---|---|
| 40 km | 24.9 miles | Short sportive |
| 80 km | 49.7 miles | Medium sportive |
| 100 km | 62.1 miles | Metric century |
| 160 km | 99.4 miles | Near-century |
| 161 km | 100 miles | Imperial century |
| 200 km | 124.3 miles | Audax L |
Worked Examples
Example 1: Converting 42.195 km (marathon) to miles
(The official marathon distance is 26 miles 385 yards = 26.2188 miles)
Example 2: European motorway speed 130 km/h to mph
UK motorway limit (70 mph) = 112.7 km/h, so French limit (130 km/h) allows about 11 mph more
Example 3: Converting 4:00/km running pace to min/mile
Marathon at this pace: 26.2188 × 6.437 = 168.7 minutes = 2 hours 48 minutes 43 seconds
Frequently Asked Questions
How many miles is 1 kilometre?
1 kilometre equals 0.62137 miles. Equivalently, 1 km = 0.5400 nautical miles. For quick mental maths, 1 km ≈ 0.621 miles, or use the approximation that 8 km ≈ 5 miles (which is accurate to within 0.6%).
How do I convert km/h to mph?
To convert km/h to mph, multiply by 0.62137. Common conversions: 50 km/h = 31.1 mph, 80 km/h = 49.7 mph, 100 km/h = 62.1 mph, 120 km/h = 74.6 mph, 130 km/h = 80.8 mph. This is essential for UK drivers using European roads.
What is 5 km in miles?
5 kilometres equals 3.107 miles. This is the standard Parkrun distance run every Saturday morning at hundreds of locations across the UK. A 5km race takes the average recreational runner 25-35 minutes to complete.
What is 10 km in miles?
10 kilometres equals 6.214 miles. The 10km race is one of the most popular road running distances in the UK. Most recreational runners complete a 10km in 45-70 minutes. The world record for 10km on road is under 27 minutes.
How does driving abroad in Europe affect my speedometer?
UK vehicles show mph on the speedometer, but European roads use km/h speed limits. Most European motorways have limits of 120-130 km/h (74-81 mph), which is above the UK motorway limit of 70 mph (113 km/h). Always set your sat-nav to km/h when driving in Europe and multiply km/h road signs by 0.621 to get the mph equivalent.
What is a 4:00/km running pace in min/mile?
A pace of 4:00 minutes per kilometre equals 6 minutes 26 seconds per mile (6:26 min/mile). This is approximately a 2:49 marathon finishing time. The calculation: 4.00 × 1.60934 = 6.4374 minutes = 6 min 26 sec per mile.
What are tachograph distance requirements for UK lorry drivers in Europe?
UK HGV drivers using EU tachographs record distances in kilometres. Digital tachographs display km/h as the speed unit. Under EU tachograph regulations (EC 165/2014), speed and distance are recorded in metric (SI) units. UK drivers need to convert km readings to miles for UK DVLA compliance reporting, using the factor 1 km = 0.62137 miles.