Kilometers per hour to knots
1 kilometer per hour = 0.539957 knots
Type a value in kilometers per hour (km/h) to get knots (kn) straight away. A kilometer per hour is smaller than a knot, so the number goes down. Both units belong to speed, measured here against the meter per second.
1 km/h = 0.5399568 kn
Formula
kn = km/h × 0.5399568
One kilometer per hour is 0.5399568 knots, so multiply by that factor. You can also divide by 1.852, the number of kilometers per hour in one knot. Here km/h is the value in kilometers per hour and kn is the result in knots.
Worked example: 100 kilometers per hour × 0.5399568 = 53.9957 knots.
Kilometers per hour to knots table
| kilometers per hour (km/h) | knots (kn) |
|---|---|
| 1 km/h | 0.539957 kn |
| 2 km/h | 1.07991 kn |
| 3 km/h | 1.61987 kn |
| 4 km/h | 2.15983 kn |
| 5 km/h | 2.69978 kn |
| 6 km/h | 3.23974 kn |
| 7 km/h | 3.7797 kn |
| 8 km/h | 4.31965 kn |
| 9 km/h | 4.85961 kn |
| 10 km/h | 5.39957 kn |
| 15 km/h | 8.09935 kn |
| 20 km/h | 10.7991 kn |
| 25 km/h | 13.4989 kn |
| 30 km/h | 16.1987 kn |
| 40 km/h | 21.5983 kn |
| 50 km/h | 26.9978 kn |
| 60 km/h | 32.3974 kn |
| 75 km/h | 40.4968 kn |
| 100 km/h | 53.9957 kn |
Everyday kilometers per hour in knots
| What it is | km/h | kn |
|---|---|---|
| walking pace | 5 km/h | 2.69978 kn |
| a school-zone limit | 30 km/h | 16.1987 kn |
| an Indian city limit (common) | 50 km/h | 26.9978 kn |
| a highway limit | 100 km/h | 53.9957 kn |
| an expressway limit | 120 km/h | 64.7948 kn |
Quick estimate in your head
Multiply by about 0.54. For 100 km/h that gives 54 kn against an exact 53.9957 kn, an error under 0.1%.
Watch out for
- Knots are nautical miles per hour, so 1 knot is 1.852 km/h, not 1.609 km/h.
About the units
Kilometer per hour (km/h). Used for road speed limits and car speedometers in most countries.
Knot (kn). One nautical mile per hour, about 1.852 km/h. Used at sea and in aviation.
Going the other way, 1 knot is 1.852 kilometers per hour.
Questions
How many knots are in 1 kilometer per hour?
1 kilometer per hour is 0.539957 knots, and 1 knot is 1.852 kilometers per hour.
How do I convert kilometers per hour to knots?
Use kn = km/h × 0.5399568. For example, 100 kilometers per hour × 0.5399568 = 53.9957 knots.
Is the kilometer per hour to knot factor exact?
The factor comes from the unit definitions. Results here are rounded to 6 significant digits for display.
How much is an expressway limit in knots?
120 km/h is 64.7948 kn.
Source for the conversion factor: NIST SP 811, Appendix B (conversion factors).
Related conversions
- knots to kilometers per hour
- kilometers per hour to miles per hour
- kilometers per hour to meters per second
- knots to miles per hour
- miles per hour to knots
- miles per hour to kilometers per hour