Kilometers Per Hour to Knots
An instant kilometers per hour-to-knots converter, with the formula and a reference table below.
| Kilometers Per Hour | Knots |
|---|---|
| 1 km/h | 0.539957 kn |
| 2 km/h | 1.079914 kn |
| 3 km/h | 1.61987 kn |
| 5 km/h | 2.699784 kn |
| 10 km/h | 5.399568 kn |
| 25 km/h | 13.49892 kn |
| 50 km/h | 26.99784 kn |
| 100 km/h | 53.99568 kn |
How to use
- Enter a value in the Kilometers Per Hour field.
- The Knots figure appears immediately — no button to press.
- Typing in the Knots field converts back to Kilometers Per Hour the same way.
- Use the reference table for the values that come up most often.
Kilometers Per Hour to Knots formula
To convert kilometers per hour to knots, multiply by 0.539956803.
kn = km/h × 0.539956803
Put another way, one kilometer per hour is exactly 250/463 knots.
Why this factor: the kilometer per hour and the knot are both defined against the meter per second, so dividing one definition by the other gives 0.539956803 directly. Both definitions are set out in full below.
To go the other way, divide by 0.539956803 — or use the Knots to Kilometers Per Hour converter, which is the same calculation reversed.
Worked example
Take 100 km/h and multiply by the factor 0.539956803: the result is 53.99568 kn.
100 km/h × 0.539956803 = 53.99568 kn
The converter above does this for any value you type, in either direction.
What is a kilometer per hour?
Kilometers per hour is the everyday speed unit for road traffic in most of the world.
Definition: Exactly 1,000 meters per 3,600 seconds, so 1 km/h is exactly 1/3.6 m/s.
Where it is used: Speed limits, vehicle speedometers, and weather wind speeds outside the US and UK.
Worth knowing: A handy shortcut: divide km/h by 3.6 for m/s, or multiply m/s by 3.6 to go the other way.
What is a knot?
A knot is one nautical mile per hour, the speed unit of ships and aircraft.
Definition: Exactly 1,852 meters per 3,600 seconds, so about 0.514444 m/s.
Where it is used: Marine and aviation speeds, and wind speed in forecasts for sailors and pilots.
Worth knowing: Say 'knots', never 'knots per hour' — the 'per hour' is already inside the unit.
Kilometers Per Hour vs Knots
The kilometer per hour is a metric unit while the knot is a specialized unit. That is why the factor between them is not a round number: the two systems were defined independently and only later tied together by exact agreement.
Frequently asked questions
How many knots are in a kilometer per hour?
One kilometer per hour equals 0.539956803 knots.
What is the formula to convert kilometers per hour to knots?
Multiply the number of kilometers per hour by 0.539956803. To reverse it, divide by 0.539956803 instead.
How do I convert knots back to kilometers per hour?
Divide by 0.539956803, which is the same as multiplying by 1.852.
How many knots are in 10 kilometers per hour?
10 km/h works out to 5.399568 kn.
Is there anything to watch out for with kilometers per hour?
A handy shortcut: divide km/h by 3.6 for m/s, or multiply m/s by 3.6 to go the other way.
How is the kilometer per hour defined?
Exactly 1,000 meters per 3,600 seconds, so 1 km/h is exactly 1/3.6 m/s.