Distance Calculator

Calculate the distance between two train stations anywhere in the world.

Calculate the distance between any two train stations worldwide. Our calculator uses the Haversine formula to compute the great-circle (straight-line) distance, then estimates the actual rail distance by applying a 1.3x factor that accounts for the curves, detours, and terrain that real railway tracks follow. Results are shown in both kilometers and miles, with an interactive map visualization.

How It Works

1

Search Stations

Type at least 2 characters to search from 10,000+ stations worldwide. Select your origin and destination from the autocomplete dropdown.

2

Calculate Distance

We compute the straight-line (great-circle) distance using the Haversine formula, then estimate the rail distance using a 1.3x multiplier.

3

View Results

See both distances in km and miles, plus an interactive map showing the route between your selected stations.

No stations found.

No stations found.

Straight-line Distance

Estimated Rail Distance

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Frequently Asked Questions

We use the Haversine formula, which calculates the great-circle distance between two points on Earth's surface using their latitude and longitude coordinates. This gives the shortest distance over the Earth's curved surface, not a flat-map approximation.
Trains cannot travel in perfectly straight lines. Railway tracks must curve around mountains, follow river valleys, pass through tunnels, and connect intermediate cities. The 1.3x multiplier is a widely-used approximation in transportation planning that accounts for these real-world routing factors.
The 1.3x factor is an average approximation. For flat terrain (e.g., Netherlands to Belgium), the actual factor may be closer to 1.1-1.2. For mountainous routes (e.g., through the Alps or Pyrenees), it could be 1.4-1.6. For specific route accuracy, check the dedicated route pages on TrainFYI.
Yes! Our database includes 10,000+ stations across 80+ countries worldwide. You can calculate distances between any two stations, whether they're in the same city, same country, or on different continents.
Station positions use the WGS84 coordinate system (the same used by GPS), with latitude and longitude expressed in decimal degrees. This ensures accurate distance calculations anywhere on Earth.
Station coordinates are sourced from the Trainline EU open dataset, which covers major railway stations across Europe and beyond. Each station's position has been verified against geographic databases.

Methodology

Straight-line distance is calculated using the Haversine formula, which computes the great-circle distance between two points on Earth's surface. Rail distance is estimated by multiplying the straight-line distance by 1.3, a standard approximation that accounts for the fact that railway tracks cannot follow perfectly straight paths — they must curve around mountains, follow river valleys, and connect intermediate cities.