Compare: Paris→London (344 km) vs Paris→Berlin (877 km). Paris → London wins by 533 km (61%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team
344 km
214 miles · Flight: ~56 min
✓ Shorter route
877 km
545 miles · Flight: ~1h 36min · Drive: ~14h 15min
Difference: 533 km (61%) · Flight time difference: ~40 min
Verdict
Paris → London is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 533 km (61%) shorter, saves about 40 min of flight time, and cuts roughly 136 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose Paris → Berlin only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
Paris → London is the shorter route at 344 km, which is 533 km (61%) shorter than Paris → Berlin. You would save approximately 40 min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | Paris → London | Paris → Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 344 | 877 |
| Distance (miles) | 214 | 545 |
| Flight time | ~56 min | ~1h 36min |
| Driving time | No road estimate | ~14h 15min |
| Road distance (rough estimate) | Not published | ~1,141 km |
| Continuous road link? | No | Yes |
| Cross-continental | No | No |
| Initial bearing | 330° (NNW) | 58° (ENE) |
| Time-zone shift | -1h | None |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~88 kg | ~224 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | — | ~195 kg |
| Fuel cost (est.) | — | ~$114 USD |
Flying from Paris to London 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 Paris → Berlin flight emits about 224 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 136 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 6 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration.
The Paris to London route covers 344 km (214 miles), staying within Europe. Paris (population: 2,161,000) is located in Île-de-France, France, while London (population: 8,982,000) is in England, United Kingdom.
The Paris to Berlin route covers 877 km (545 miles), remaining within Europe. Paris (population: 2,161,000) is in Île-de-France, France, and Berlin (population: 3,644,826) is in Brandenburg, Germany.
Flying from Paris to London takes approximately 56 min, while Paris to Berlin takes 1h 36min.
Since both routes depart from Paris, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between London and Berlin as a destination.
The 533 km difference between these routes is substantial and will significantly impact travel time and cost.
Only the Paris→Berlin route has a usable land link (roughly 1,141 km by road, estimated). Yes — you can drive from Paris to London 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.
London (United Kingdom) has a population of 8,982,000 and is located in the England region of Europe. As a major metropolis, it offers extensive international connections and diverse attractions.
Berlin (Germany) has a population of 3,644,826 and is situated in Brandenburg, Europe. This city serves as an important regional hub with solid connectivity.
Choose this route if your priority is reaching London (United Kingdom) — a city of 8,982,000 in the England region of Europe. It is also the shorter option at 344 km, which translates to a 40 min flight-time saving and roughly 136 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 330° (NNW), so a great-circle flight leaves Paris heading roughly NNW.
This route is the right call if you are heading to Berlin (Germany) — a city of 3,644,826 in the Brandenburg region of Europe. Even though it is the longer route at 877 km, it remains the obvious pick when Berlin is the actual destination, when departure schedules from Paris are more convenient, or when fares undercut the alternative. Driving is feasible — expect roughly 1,141 km of road and a fuel cost in the $114 USD range. Departing Paris, the great-circle bearing toward Berlin is 58° (ENE).
Paris (48.86°, 2.35°) → London (51.51°, -0.13°): Paris keeps Europe/Paris time and London keeps Europe/London time — a gap of about 1 hour, with London behind. 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. Paris (48.86°, 2.35°) → Berlin (52.52°, 13.40°): Paris keeps Europe/Paris time and Berlin keeps Europe/Berlin time, and the two zones hold the same clock time for most of the year. Because each zone changes to and from daylight saving on its own schedule, check the live difference 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.
London is closer at 344 km, which is 533 km (61%) shorter.
344 km (214 miles). Flight: ~56 min.
877 km (545 miles). Flight: ~1h 36min.
Flying to London is faster at ~56 min, saving about 40 min compared to Berlin.
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.