Miles to Kilometers Converter

Direct answer

How do you convert miles to kilometers?

Multiply the distance in miles by exactly 1.609344.

For example, 10 miles converts as follows:

Unit relationship

Understanding miles and kilometers

The mile is commonly used for road distances, travel, running, cycling, and geographic distance in the United States and the United Kingdom. The kilometer is widely used for road and travel distances in metric countries.

The international mile is defined as exactly 1,609.344 meters. Dividing that value by 1,000 produces exactly 1.609344 kilometers.

Formula

Miles-to-kilometers conversion formula

In this formula:

• km is the distance in kilometers;
• mi is the distance in miles;
• 1.609344 is the exact conversion factor.

Steps

How to convert miles to kilometers manually

1. Write down the distance in miles. Keep any decimal or fractional portion.
2. Multiply the mile value by 1.609344.
3. Keep the complete result during calculation.
4. Round the final kilometer value as needed.
5. Label the result in kilometers.

Examples

Miles-to-kilometers examples

Convert 1 mile to kilometers

Convert 5 miles to kilometers

Convert 25 miles to kilometers

Convert 100 miles to kilometers

Decimals

How to convert decimal miles to kilometers

Multiply the complete decimal-mile value by 1.609344. Do not remove or round the decimal portion before converting.

Convert 3.1 miles

Convert 6.2 miles

Convert 13.1 miles

Fractions

How to convert fractional miles to kilometers

Convert the fraction to decimal miles and multiply by 1.609344.

Convert half a mile

Convert 2 1/2 miles

Reference table

Miles-to-kilometers conversion table

Driving

Converting driving distances

Road distances may be displayed in miles on one map or sign and kilometers on another. Convert the complete route distance rather than rounding each segment separately.

Convert a 60-mile drive

Convert a 250-mile road trip

A unit conversion does not account for route changes, detours, GPS variation, or differences between straight-line and road distance.

Running

Converting running and race distances

Running distances are often described in both miles and kilometers. The same exact conversion factor applies.

Estimation

How to estimate miles in kilometers

Multiply miles by 1.6 for a quick estimate.

The 1.6 shortcut slightly underestimates the exact result. Use 1.609344 when precision matters.

Precision

How many decimal places should be used?

The appropriate precision depends on the source distance and its purpose.

• General travel comparisons may use one decimal place.
• Driving routes may use one or two decimal places.
• Running distances may use two or three decimal places.
• Technical calculations may retain more precision.
• The converted result should not imply greater accuracy than the original distance provides.

Distance types

Road distance, route distance, and straight-line distance

Unit conversion changes the unit, but it does not change the type of distance being measured.

Two sources can show different distances even when both unit conversions are mathematically correct.

Common errors

Miles-to-kilometers mistakes to avoid

Dividing by 1.609344

Dividing by 1.609344 converts kilometers to miles. Convert miles to kilometers by multiplying.

Using 1.6 as an exact factor

The value 1.6 is useful for estimation. The exact factor is 1.609344.

Dropping a decimal or fractional mile

A distance such as 3.5 miles should not be treated as 3 miles.

Confusing kilometers with meters

One kilometer contains 1,000 meters.

Assuming conversion corrects route data

A conversion cannot correct an inaccurate map, GPS reading, or route measurement.

Cluster guides

Related miles-to-kilometers guides

More converters

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FAQs

Miles-to-kilometers frequently asked questions