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Daft Logic > Projects > Google Maps Distance Calculator

Google Maps Distance Calculator

Last Updated 31st July 2010

[Map Height : Small - Medium - Large]

Quick Find :

Total Distance Miles KM Nautical Miles Metres Feet Autopan ?

Description

You can use the Google Maps Distance Calculator to find out the distance between two or more points anywhere on the earth. In other words, the distance between A and B. Click once on the map to place the first marker and then click again to position the second marker. The distance between the points will then be displayed. You can also build up a series of locations to find a total distance.

An important feature of this tool is that is "as the crow flies", so traveling in real life will normally involve larger distances, but this may also help those who need to measure off-road distances.

How To Use

  1. Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 1
  2. Click to place marker 1.
  3. Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 2.
  4. Click to place marker 2.
  5. The distance will be displayed below the map in miles or kilometers. You can change between miles or km at any time.
  6. Add as many points as required and the distance will build up.
  7. You can also drag and drop markers after they have been put on the map

Note

All distances are estimations so Daft Logic does not accept any responsibility that may arise when the value reported is incorrect.

You can move the markers after they have been positioned so you can modify you route on the fly and see how the distance will be effected.

Options

How it Works

Clearly you, the user inputs two 'points' that are used to calculate the distance. Calculating the "As the Crow Flies" distance is a matter of using Great Circle formula. Then the main problem is converting the Google Map unit to miles and kilometers.

The map will also automatically save your route in your temporary internet cookies so that you can return and see the route as you last left it. If you ever need to start from scratch then use the [Clear Map] button.

Benchmark Tests

Map between New York and Paris
Map showing the estimated distance between New York and Paris. All references that can be found suggest that this is an accurate measurement.
Seven Mile Straight in Antrim
Map showing the Seven Mile Straight in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. This shows a reading of 6.910 miles.
Map between Belfast and Dublin
Map showing the distance between Belfast and Dublin. As far as I can see this is an accurate estimate (if there is such a thing). This trip would be approximately 100 miles by road so the proverbial crow would have less distance to travel.
Mary Peters Track in Belfast
Map showing the Mary Peters Track in South Belfast. The reading shows 0.394km which is clearly a reasonable measurement for an athletics track.

Relevant Links

Google Maps API

Further Uses and Ideas

Version History

Version 1 (29/12/2005) - The Beginning

Version 2 (19/01/2006)

Version 3 (15/06/2007)

Version 3.1 (25/09/2007)

Version 3.2 (01/10/2007)

Version 4 (20/01/2008)

Version 4.1 (21/02/2008)

Version 4.2 (10/06/2008)

Version 4.3 (20/10/2008)

Version 4.4 (17/12/2008)

Version 4.5 (04/01/2009)

Version 4.6 (28/09/2009)

Version 4.7 (06/10/2009)

Version 4.8 (08/10/2009)

Version 5.0 (31/07/2010) - You Are Here

Previous Comments For This Page

Hi. Once again, liking the enhancements but looks like the "Large" view is no longer working in either Safari or Chrome for Mac OSX (v10.5.8). It grays out the bottom part of the window beyond the "Medium" sized map dimensions or sometimes grays out the entire window... Please fix! Love to use this on my Mac! (PS. working find on IE for windows but my Mac's screen is bigger!)
By JC on 31/07/2010Great enhancement adding the mouse wheel zoom! Ya might want to take the "a" off the "Clear Last Poaint" button though.
By JC on 31/07/2010Excellent source for finding the distance you need to know. Highly recommended.
By Cesar in AZ. 7-30-10 on 31/07/2010USA por tierra
By Pepe on 30/07/2010Only tool of it's kind that I found on the internet. Thanks.
By EZ on 30/07/2010Great app! Is it possible to save a track?
By dos on 29/07/2010Great Tool. Would love to be able to save the map so can use it elsewhere
By Bernie on 27/07/2010Quite a good application! Very useful for finding the distances of different routes. My only issue is that it slows down way too quick. Like after 15 points or so it starts lagging and by 80 my computer is telling me that if I don't stop soon, the whole internet is going to freeze up. So that makes it a bit more time-consuming, but I don't know if it can be helped. (Maybe calculate distances when I need them instead of after every point?) Other than that, it's just great! Thanks so much!
By Daniel on 26/07/2010Can do this on Google maps, inline and decline would be more apt for running distnces though...
On 26/07/2010awesome! I just googled "map distance crow flies" and got this as my first hit - exactly what I needed! THANK YOU!
By Georgia on 26/07/2010Dont work correct!!
By Uldis on 25/07/2010Great stuff, I was always wondering how far I have ran, thanks very much! I use this to plan new routes now.
By AT on 24/07/2010excelente!
On 23/07/2010One sugestion. Could you add gps location by cordinate? I use this to help plan fihing routes on the boat and estimate total trip distance. If you could have it show a marker at a given GPS cordinate that would be awesome.
By sterling on 23/07/2010one suggestion use left-double-click for marker & left-click-drag for panning or left click for marker & right-click-drag for panning
On 23/07/2010Rubbish
On 22/07/2010I love this but would like to see compass headings added.
On 18/07/2010Excellent excellent application! It's helping me with my first marathon training wonderfully!
By Eric on 18/07/2010How about adding an area feature (sq miles)
On 17/07/2010Fantastic tool for cycle planning!!
By Charlie on 17/07/2010Brilliant tool! Well done. Got a feature suggestion: Add a "send to friend" function or something to that effect so that a user can email/copy-paste link the map with markers to a friend. Again, great job! :-)
By Brandon on 17/07/2010how to race the flag ?
By chato on 14/07/2010THIS IS A GREAT HELP FOR MY MARATHON TRAINING,THANK YOU BOGOTA - COLOMBIA
By ANDRES MORA on 13/07/2010It enables one to measure distance across almost anything on land; From diverse terrains to swimming pools. Awesome app. \o/
By sachicaesar on 13/07/2010Really helpful. I don't have a GPS on my boat so this gives me a good idea of distance travelled so I can run rough calculations on my fuel economy!
By Mike in New Zealand on 12/07/2010Didn't realise I could run so far!!!
On 12/07/2010please i want to more clculation base on map reading
By john on 12/07/2010Good for calculating running and rowing distances - even has Shetland routes on the map!!
By Kat on 12/07/2010Great to help plot running circuits around my area so I can build up longer routes for training. Seems to work fine.
By Kate on 09/07/2010This is an amazing tool to help find typically incalculable distances. I am a boater and find plotting distances helpful in planning fuel costs for trips.
By Tom on 06/07/2010

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