Distance Between Two Places â How Far Is It?
Calculate the straight-line distance between any two UK locations in miles and kilometres. Instant results.
How Far Is It Between Two Places?
Need to know the distance between two cities, towns, or postcodes? Our free distance calculator gives you an instant answer. Just type in two place names and get the straight-line distance in miles, kilometres, and nautical miles.
This tool calculates the "as the crow flies" distance â the shortest path between two points on Earth. It's perfect for getting a quick sense of how far apart two places are, whether you're planning travel, answering a quiz question, or just curious.
What Can You Search For?
The tool accepts a wide range of inputs:
- City names â London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff
- Town names â Windsor, Stratford-upon-Avon, St Andrews
- UK postcodes â SW1A 1AA, M1 1AA, EH1 1YZ
- Places with context â "Oxford, UK" or "Cambridge, England"
- International cities â Paris, New York, Sydney, Tokyo
For UK postcodes, we use local data for instant results. For other places, we use geocoding services to find the location.
Understanding the Results
Straight-Line Distance
The distance shown is the straight-line distance (also called "as the crow flies" or great-circle distance). This is the shortest possible distance between two points on Earth's surface, accounting for the planet's curvature.
Why Is Road Distance Different?
Actual driving or walking distance is always longer than the straight-line distance because roads don't go in straight lines â they curve around obstacles, follow terrain, and connect to other roads. As a rough guide, road distance is typically 20-40% longer than straight-line distance.
Bearing
The bearing tells you the compass direction from the first place to the second. A bearing of 0° means due north, 90° is east, 180° is south, and 270° is west.
Common Distance Questions
How far is London from Manchester?
The straight-line distance from London to Manchester is approximately 163 miles (262 km). By road, it's about 200 miles and takes around 4 hours by car or 2 hours by train.
How far is London from Edinburgh?
London to Edinburgh is approximately 332 miles (534 km) as the crow flies. The train journey takes around 4.5 hours, while driving is approximately 400 miles and 7 hours.
How far is Glasgow from Edinburgh?
Glasgow and Edinburgh are about 42 miles (68 km) apart in a straight line. They're well connected by road and rail, with journey times of about 1 hour.
How far is Liverpool from Manchester?
Liverpool to Manchester is approximately 31 miles (50 km) as the crow flies. By road or rail, the journey takes about 1 hour.
Need to Measure a Route?
If you need to measure a specific route with multiple points â for example, planning a walking or cycling route â try our Measure Distance tool instead. It lets you click on the map to trace out a path and see the total distance.