How do I calculate average speed?

Divide total distance by total elapsed time in hours. Miles divided by hours gives mph; kilometres divided by hours gives km/h.

Yes, for the average over the whole journey. If you exclude stops, label the result as a moving-time average.

Can I average two speed readings?

Not in general. Add the distances and corresponding times, then divide the total distance by total time.

Open Road

Average Speed Calculator: Distance and Elapsed Time

Calculate journey average speed by dividing total distance by total elapsed time. Enter miles for mph or kilometres for km/h. Include stops when you want the average for the whole journey; use moving time only if that is the specific measure you intend.

DistanceDistance unitHoursMinutes

Include stops for a whole-journey average. Inputs stay in this page.

40.00 mph

Free to download. Open Road Pro is optional, with a 3-day trial on the yearly plan.

Open Road saved-drive speed graph and speed distribution — A real saved-drive analysis screen. The example readings are not an accuracy benchmark.

Use total time, not just the time you were moving

For a whole-journey average, count the elapsed time from departure to arrival, including stops. Sixty miles in ninety minutes is 40 mph, even if the car travelled faster between stops.

If you enter moving time instead, label the result a moving average. The arithmetic is the same, but the question is different. The calculator uses only your inputs; it does not read a route or infer traffic.

Average two journey legs correctly

Add the distances and times first, then divide. Do not average two speed numbers unless their time periods are equal. For example, 30 miles at 30 mph takes an hour; the return 30 miles at 60 mph takes half an hour. The combined 60 miles in 1.5 hours averages 40 mph.

Your average also differs from the top reading in a tracker. A brief peak cannot describe a whole drive, and a GPS error can distort the peak without explaining the journey.

Keep the route behind the arithmetic

Open Road keeps time and distance alongside a recorded route. Review the saved drive after parking to understand what the numbers cover. The calculator on this page performs arithmetic, not a prediction of arrival time or a claim about a safe driving speed.

About this guide

Published by Open Road. Updated 2026-11-03. App screens show example recorded drives.

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Questions, answered

How do I calculate average speed?: Divide total distance by total elapsed time in hours. Miles divided by hours gives mph; kilometres divided by hours gives km/h.
Should stops count?: Yes, for the average over the whole journey. If you exclude stops, label the result as a moving-time average.
Can I average two speed readings?: Not in general. Add the distances and corresponding times, then divide the total distance by total time.

Keep your next drive

Get Open Road for iPhone or Android. Free to download, with optional Pro. The yearly Pro plan has a 3-day trial.