Trip Time Estimator

Trip time estimator for driving time, total travel duration, and arrival time

This trip time estimator helps you estimate how long a journey will take based on distance and average speed. If you only want a quick answer, you can enter those two numbers and get an immediate driving-time estimate. If you want something closer to real life, you can also include stops and a traffic delay percentage, and you can optionally add a departure time to estimate your arrival time.

The core calculation is simple: time equals distance divided by speed. That produces a base driving duration. Real trips rarely match the base number because traffic slows you down and breaks add fixed time. This calculator combines both by applying a traffic delay percentage to the driving portion, then adding stop time as a separate block. This keeps the results understandable and adjustable without forcing you to guess every detail.

The output is designed to be useful at a glance. You get the base driving time, an estimate of extra time from traffic, an estimate of extra time from stops, and the total trip duration. If you enter a departure time, you also get an estimated arrival time. This is helpful for commute planning, setting realistic ETAs, deciding when to leave, and comparing two route options using different distances or speeds.

Assumptions and how to use this calculator

• Average speed should reflect the whole route, not your peak speed. Use a lower number if you expect towns, hills, or congestion.
• Traffic delay percent applies to driving time only. Stops are added separately so you can model breaks more realistically.
• If you do not know stops or stop duration, leave them blank and the calculator assumes zero stop time.
• Arrival time is estimated using your local device time settings and does not account for time zones or overnight rest stops.
• Results are estimates. Weather, roadworks, refuelling, border crossings, and parking time can materially change the real outcome.

Common questions

What average speed should I use if I do not know it?

Use a conservative estimate based on the type of driving. Highways often average lower than the posted limit once you include slower sections and merges. Urban driving averages can be much lower. If unsure, start with a cautious number, then rerun the calculator with a higher and lower speed to see a realistic range.

How does the traffic delay percent work?

The traffic delay percent increases the driving portion of the trip by that percentage. For example, a 2 hour base drive with a 20% traffic delay becomes 2 hours and 24 minutes for the driving portion. Stops are then added on top of that.

Do I have to enter stops and minutes per stop?

No. Stops are optional. If you leave them blank, the calculator assumes zero stop time and still returns a valid result. If you only know that you will take one break but are unsure how long, enter a rough estimate like 10 or 15 minutes and adjust later.

Why does my real trip still take longer than the estimate?

The biggest causes are an average speed that was too optimistic, unplanned stops, and delays that are not “traffic” in the simple sense, such as roadworks, accidents, parking, waiting for passengers, or detours. If your real trips consistently run long, lower your average speed or increase the traffic delay percent until the estimate matches your typical experience.

Can I use this for walking, cycling, or public transport?

Yes, if you enter an appropriate average speed. For walking and cycling it can be reasonably accurate on flat routes. For public transport it is more variable because waiting time and transfers dominate, so model those as stops with minutes per stop, and treat the speed as an average over the moving portions only.