How many miles is 1 kilometre?

One kilometre equals approximately 0.6214 miles. To convert quickly in your head, multiply by 0.6 for a rough estimate. For example, 100 km is roughly 62 miles. Our converter provides precise results to four decimal places.

Why do UK road signs use miles instead of kilometres?

The UK retains miles for road signs despite officially adopting the metric system for most measurements. The Weights and Measures Act 1985 permits miles for road distances, and switching would require replacing over two million signs at significant cost. Speed limits are also set in mph.

How do I convert km to miles for European driving?

When driving in continental Europe, speed limits and distances are shown in kilometres. Multiply km by 0.6214 to get miles, or use the quick mental shortcut of dividing by 8 and multiplying by 5 (e.g., 80 km / 8 = 10, 10 x 5 = 50 miles). This converter does it automatically.

Kilometres to Miles Converter

Convert kilometres to miles and miles to kilometres

Published by UltraCalculatorsLast reviewed: 1 Apr 2026v1.0Report an issue

If you have ever driven through France, Spain, or any other European country, you will know the mild confusion of seeing speed limits and distances in kilometres when your instinct thinks in miles. The United Kingdom is one of the few countries in the world that still uses miles for road distances and speed limits, making the conversion between kilometres and miles an everyday necessity for travellers, runners, and anyone comparing international data. One kilometre equals exactly 0.621371 miles. This conversion factor comes from the international yard agreement of 1959, which defined the yard (and by extension the mile) in terms of the metre. A mile is 1,609.344 metres, or 1.609344 kilometres. While these numbers are precise, they are not particularly easy to remember, which is why having a quick converter to hand is so useful. Whether you are planning a road trip to the continent, tracking your 5K or 10K running progress against pace charts given in miles, or simply trying to understand distances reported in international news, this converter gives you an instant, accurate answer both ways.

How to Use This Calculator

To use the kilometres to miles converter: 1. Select the conversion direction. Choose "Kilometres to Miles" if you have a metric distance and want the imperial equivalent. Choose "Miles to Kilometres" for the reverse. 2. For km to miles: Enter the number of kilometres. The converter instantly shows the equivalent in miles plus any remaining yards, along with the total in metres. 3. For miles to km: Enter the number of miles. The converter shows the total kilometres and the equivalent in metres. 4. The result updates in real time as you type, so you can quickly check multiple distances without pressing any buttons.

How It Works

The conversion formulas use the internationally defined relationship between miles and kilometres: Kilometres to Miles: Miles = kilometres x 0.621371 Remaining yards = fractional miles x 1,760 Example: 10 km = 10 x 0.621371 = 6.2137 miles Miles to Kilometres: Kilometres = miles / 0.621371 (or miles x 1.60934) Example: 5 miles = 5 / 0.621371 = 8.0467 km A useful mental shortcut: to convert km to miles roughly, multiply by 6 and drop the last digit (or multiply by 0.6). For miles to km, multiply by 1.6. These approximations are accurate to within about 3%.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Driving distance from London to Paris

Inputs: Kilometres: 461. Direction: km to miles.

Miles = 461 x 0.621371 = 286.45 miles.
Whole miles: 286.
Remaining yards: 0.45 x 1,760 = 792 yards.

Result: 461 km from London to Paris is approximately 286 miles and 792 yards.

Example 2: Converting a 10K race distance

Inputs: Kilometres: 10. Direction: km to miles.

Miles = 10 x 0.621371 = 6.2137 miles.
Whole miles: 6.
Remaining yards: 0.2137 x 1,760 = 376 yards.

Result: A 10K race is 6.214 miles, roughly 6 miles and 376 yards.

Example 3: UK marathon distance in kilometres

Inputs: Miles: 26.2188. Direction: miles to km.

Kilometres = 26.2188 / 0.621371 = 42.195 km.
Metres = 42.195 x 1,000 = 42,195 m.

Result: A marathon (26.2188 miles) is 42.195 kilometres or 42,195 metres.

Common UK reference distances: London to Birmingham is about 163 km (101 miles), London to Manchester is 322 km (200 miles), and Land's End to John o' Groats is roughly 1,407 km (874 miles). The speed limit on UK motorways is 70 mph, which equals 112.65 km/h. In continental Europe, a typical motorway limit of 130 km/h equals about 80.8 mph.