Speed Converter

Convert between mph, km/h, m/s, ft/s, knots, and Mach. Real-time results with travel calculator.

All Units at a Glance
UnitValue
Miles per hour (mph)
Kilometers per hour (km/h)
Meters per second (m/s)
Feet per second (ft/s)
Knots (nmi/h)
Mach (at sea level)
Travel Calculator
Common Speed Reference
Descriptionmphkm/hm/s
Average walking pace34.81.3
Jogging / easy run69.72.7
Competitive sprint (100m world record)27.844.712.4
City speed limit (typical)25–3540–5611–16
Highway / motorway speed60–7597–12127–34
High-speed train (TGV, Shinkansen)20032289
Speed of sound (sea level, 20°C)7671235343
Mach 2 (fighter jet)15352470686
Low Earth orbit17,50028,1607,822
Speed of light670,616,6291,079,252,848299,792,458

How to use

  • Enter a speed value in either field and select the units — the result updates instantly
  • Use the ⇄ button to swap the from and to units
  • The "All Units at a Glance" table shows your entered speed in every unit simultaneously
  • Distance → Time: Enter a distance and speed to calculate travel time
  • Time → Distance: Enter a duration and speed to calculate distance covered
  • Mach speed uses 343 m/s (speed of sound at sea level, approximately 20°C)

About this Speed Converter

Speed units vary by country and context — mph in the US and UK road signage, km/h almost everywhere else, knots at sea and in aviation, and meters per second in scientific work — making conversion a common need for travel, sports, and technical reference.

Key conversion factors

  • 1 mph = 1.60934 km/h
  • 1 km/h = 0.62137 mph
  • 1 knot (nautical mile per hour) = 1.852 km/h = 1.15078 mph
  • 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h = 2.23694 mph

Why aviation and marine use knots

A knot is defined as one nautical mile per hour, and a nautical mile is based on one minute of latitude — a unit directly tied to navigation and the Earth's geometry, which is why ships and aircraft have used knots for centuries rather than switching to mph or km/h like road vehicles.

Worked example

A car traveling at 65 mph is going 65 × 1.60934 = 104.6 km/h. A wind speed reported as 20 knots converts to 20 × 1.852 = 37.04 km/h, or roughly 23 mph.