Compare: London→Paris (344 km) vs London→Amsterdam (358 km). London → Paris wins by 14 km (4%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team
344 km
214 miles · Flight: ~56 min
✓ Shorter route
358 km
222 miles · Flight: ~57 min
Difference: 14 km (4%) · Flight time difference: ~1 min
Verdict
London → Paris is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 14 km (4%) shorter, saves about 1 min of flight time, and cuts roughly 3 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose London → Amsterdam only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
London → Paris is the shorter route at 344 km, which is 14 km (4%) shorter than London → Amsterdam. You would save approximately 1 min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | London → Paris | London → Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 344 | 358 |
| Distance (miles) | 214 | 222 |
| Flight time | ~56 min | ~57 min |
| Driving time | No road estimate | No road estimate |
| Road distance (rough estimate) | Not published | Not published |
| Continuous road link? | No | No |
| Cross-continental | No | No |
| Initial bearing | 148° (SSE) | 73° (ENE) |
| Time-zone shift | +1h | +1h |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~88 kg | ~91 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | — | — |
| Fuel cost (est.) | — | — |
Flying from London to Paris produces roughly 88 kg of CO₂ per passenger, based on the ICAO/EEA short-haul emission factor of ~0.255 kg per passenger-km. The London → Amsterdam flight emits about 91 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 3 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 0 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration.
The London to Paris route covers 344 km (214 miles), staying within Europe. London (population: 8,982,000) is located in England, United Kingdom, while Paris (population: 2,161,000) is in Île-de-France, France.
The London to Amsterdam route covers 358 km (222 miles), remaining within Europe. London (population: 8,982,000) is in England, United Kingdom, and Amsterdam (population: 872,680) is in North Holland, Netherlands.
Flying from London to Paris takes approximately 56 min, while London to Amsterdam takes 57 min.
Since both routes depart from London, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between Paris and Amsterdam as a destination.
The 14 km difference between these routes is relatively modest, so other factors like ticket prices and schedules may matter more.
Neither route has a road figure we can defend. Yes — you can drive from London to Paris by taking your car through the Channel Tunnel (Le Shuttle, Folkestone–Calais, about 35 minutes) or on a cross-Channel ferry. Because part of the trip is a rail or sea crossing, SnapDistance does not publish a single road-distance figure for this pair. Yes — you can drive from London to Amsterdam by taking your car through the Channel Tunnel (Le Shuttle, Folkestone–Calais, about 35 minutes) or on a cross-Channel ferry. Because part of the trip is a rail or sea crossing, SnapDistance does not publish a single road-distance figure for this pair.
Paris (France) has a population of 2,161,000 and is located in the Île-de-France region of Europe. It's a significant city with good transport links and cultural offerings.
Amsterdam (Netherlands) has a population of 872,680 and is situated in North Holland, Europe. This destination offers a more intimate travel experience with unique local culture.
Choose this route if your priority is reaching Paris (France) — a city of 2,161,000 in the Île-de-France region of Europe. It is also the shorter option at 344 km, which translates to a 1 min flight-time saving and roughly 3 kg less CO₂ per passenger versus the alternative. This is a fly-only route in practice — overland travel is not realistic at 344 km. The initial bearing is 148° (SSE), so a great-circle flight leaves London heading roughly SSE.
This route is the right call if you are heading to Amsterdam (Netherlands) — a city of 872,680 in the North Holland region of Europe. Even though it is the longer route at 358 km, it remains the obvious pick when Amsterdam is the actual destination, when departure schedules from London are more convenient, or when fares undercut the alternative. Overland travel is not practical for 358 km; flying is the realistic mode. Departing London, the great-circle bearing toward Amsterdam is 73° (ENE).
London (51.51°, -0.13°) → Paris (48.86°, 2.35°): London keeps Europe/London time and Paris keeps Europe/Paris time — a gap of about 1 hour, with Paris ahead. The exact gap moves when either zone switches to or from daylight saving, so use the live figure in the calculator for your travel dates. London (51.51°, -0.13°) → Amsterdam (52.37°, 4.90°): London keeps Europe/London time and Amsterdam keeps Europe/Amsterdam time — a gap of about 1 hour, with Amsterdam ahead. The exact gap moves when either zone switches to or from daylight saving, so use the live figure in the calculator for your travel dates. Both gaps come from the cities' real IANA zones and move with daylight saving. Both routes have manageable shifts, so jet lag should not be a major factor.
Paris is closer at 344 km, which is 14 km (4%) shorter.
344 km (214 miles). Flight: ~56 min.
358 km (222 miles). Flight: ~57 min.
Flying to Paris is faster at ~56 min, saving about 1 min compared to Amsterdam.
All distances on SnapDistance are calculated using the Haversine formula, which determines the great-circle distance between two points on Earth's surface. This gives the shortest possible distance over the globe, which is the measurement used for aviation and navigation. Actual travel distances by road or rail are typically 20-40% longer due to terrain, borders, and infrastructure routing. Flight times assume 800 km/h cruising speed with 30 minutes for takeoff and landing. Driving estimates use 80 km/h average speed with a 30% road distance factor.