How far is it?
Pick any two of 1,300+ world cities for the straight-line great-circle distance, a geographic view of the shortest surface route, and both local clocks right now.
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What the number means
The distance follows the shortest path over Earth's surface, the same arc airlines roughly fly, computed with the haversine formula on a sphere of 6,371 km radius. Actual flight routes depend on weather, winds, airports, and airspace; road distance can be far longer. The animated trace describes progress along the mathematical surface arc, not an aircraft's speed or route.
How to compare two places
Select the starting city and destination. The tool uses each city's reference coordinates, draws the connecting arc, and shows the distance in kilometers and miles. The clocks help you see whether the destination is on the same local date. Reverse the cities and the distance stays the same, although their local times and the direction of travel differ.
Why the route looks curved
The shortest surface path on a sphere lies on a great circle, whose plane passes through Earth's center. A flat map can make this path look like a detour. The globe lets you rotate the view to see the arc directly. Distances are measured along that surface, not through Earth's interior and not along the straight line on your screen.
What this estimate can tell you
Use the result to compare the scale of journeys or explore geography. It is a city-reference-point estimate: choosing a nearby airport, station, or address would change the endpoints. Earth is slightly flattened rather than a perfect sphere, which is another source of approximation. This tool does not calculate driving routes, ticket mileage, flight duration, or transport schedules. For a meeting across those cities, use the meeting time finder to compare dates and working hours separately.