Kilometers Per Hour to Knots
Kilometers per hour is the standard speed unit on road signs and speedometers outside the US and UK. A knot is one nautical mile per hour, about 1.15 mph, the standard speed unit in marine and air navigation. 1 km/h equals ≈0.539957 kn, so converting between them is a matter of multiplying by that fixed factor — type any value into the converter below and both sides update instantly as you type.
Both units belong to speed, measured here against speed's base unit (m/s) — every other speed unit on this site converts through that same reference point, which is why the table below can also be read as a quick cross-check against nearby values.
Formula
kn = km/h × ≈0.539957
km/h = kn × 1.852
Worked example: 5 km/h × ≈0.539957 = ≈2.69978 kn.
Conversion table
| Kilometer per hour (km/h) | Knot (kn) |
|---|---|
| 1 km/h | ≈0.539957 kn |
| 2 km/h | ≈1.07991 kn |
| 3 km/h | ≈1.61987 kn |
| 5 km/h | ≈2.69978 kn |
| 10 km/h | ≈5.39957 kn |
| 20 km/h | ≈10.7991 kn |
| 25 km/h | ≈13.4989 kn |
| 50 km/h | ≈26.9978 kn |
| 100 km/h | ≈53.9957 kn |
| 250 km/h | ≈134.989 kn |
| 500 km/h | ≈269.978 kn |
| 1,000 km/h | ≈539.957 kn |
Frequently asked
- How many Knots in a kilometer per hour?
- 1 km/h equals ≈0.539957 kn.
- How do I convert Kilometers per hour to Knots?
- Multiply the value in km/h by ≈0.539957 to get kn. The converter above does this instantly as you type.
- Is the conversion exact?
- Yes — Kilometer per hour and Knot are both defined by a fixed conversion factor to speed's base unit (m/s), so the result shown is exact to the precision displayed, not an approximation.