Distance Calculator
Enter two coordinate pairs to get the great-circle distance between them (the shortest path over the Earth's surface) and the initial compass bearing from A to B. Uses the haversine formula on the WGS-84 sphere, computed in your browser.
- Great-circle distance
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- Initial bearing
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Click the map to drop the highlighted pin (it switches to the other pin automatically), or drag a pin to fine-tune. Pin A starts at your approximate location.
Great-circle vs driving distance
This calculator answers “how far apart are these points on the globe”, not “how long is the drive”. Great-circle distance is what pilots, sailors, and radio planners need; road distance depends on the network and is typically 20–40% longer. The initial bearing is the compass direction you would start walking — on long routes it changes as you go, which is why transcontinental flights look curved on flat maps. Point your phone that way with the online compass.