How to Convert Kilometers per Hour to Knots
To convert from kilometers per hour to knots, multiply the value by 0.539957. The conversion is linear, meaning doubling the input doubles the output.
Conversion Formula
- Kilometers per Hour to Knots:
kn = km/h × 0.539957 - Knots to Kilometers per Hour:
km/h = kn ÷ 0.539957
Kilometers per Hour to Knots Conversion Chart
| Kilometers per Hour (km/h) | Knots (kn) |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 0.053996 |
| 0.25 | 0.134989 |
| 0.5 | 0.269979 |
| 1 | 0.539957 |
| 2 | 1.079914 |
| 3 | 1.619871 |
| 5 | 2.699785 |
| 10 | 5.39957 |
| 20 | 10.79914 |
| 25 | 13.498925 |
| 50 | 26.99785 |
| 100 | 53.9957 |
| 250 | 134.98925 |
| 1000 | 539.957 |
Common Conversions
Kilometers per hour converted to knots. One knot equals 1.852 km/h.
| km/h | Knots |
|---|---|
| 5 | 2.70 |
| 10 | 5.40 |
| 15 | 8.10 |
| 20 | 10.80 |
| 25 | 13.50 |
| 30 | 16.20 |
| 40 | 21.60 |
| 50 | 27.00 |
| 60 | 32.40 |
| 80 | 43.20 |
| 100 | 54.00 |
| 120 | 64.79 |
| 150 | 80.99 |
| 200 | 107.99 |
Understanding the Units
What Is a Kilometer per Hour?
The kilometer per hour (km/h) is a metric unit of speed equal to one kilometre travelled in one hour. It is the standard unit for road-vehicle speed and speed limits across most of the world, and equals about 0.2778 metres per second. On land, it is the most widely understood way to describe how fast something moves.
What Is a Knot?
A knot (kn) is one nautical mile per hour. Because one nautical mile is defined as 1.852 kilometres — originally one minute of arc of latitude along a meridian — a knot ties speed directly to distance on the globe, which is why it remains standard in marine and air navigation and in meteorology. The name comes from old sailing practice: sailors measured speed by counting the evenly spaced knots on a rope let out behind the ship over a timed interval.
Speeds at Sea and in the Air
Vessels, aircraft, and wind are almost always reported in knots. These reference points show how those speeds compare in km/h.
| Example | km/h | Knots |
|---|---|---|
| Harbor no-wake zone | 9.26 km/h | 5 kn |
| Cruising yacht | 18.52 km/h | 10 kn |
| Container ship service speed | 44.45 km/h | 24 kn |
| Gale-force wind (Beaufort 8) | 62.97 km/h | 34 kn |
| Small aircraft cruise | 185.2 km/h | 100 kn |
| Jet airliner cruise | 898.2 km/h | 485 kn |
Related speed tools: km/h to mph, knots to mph, mph to km/h, and m/s to km/h.