Hiking time: how long does this walk really take?
The signpost says “three hours” — for whom, exactly? Walking times are not magic, they are a formula. Once you know it, you can convert any sign into your own pace.
⏱️ Plan a route with an honest time estimate →How it works
- Horizontal time: distance in kilometres divided by 4 km/h.
- Vertical time: metres of ascent divided by 300 m/h, descent divided by 500 m/h.
- Halve the smaller of the two and add it to the larger — that is the SAC walking time.
- Add breaks: roughly five minutes per hour, plus however long you sit at the hut.
A worked example
12 km, 800 m of ascent, 400 m of descent. Horizontal: 12 ÷ 4 = 3 hours. Vertical: 800 ÷ 300 = 2.7 hours plus 400 ÷ 500 = 0.8, so 3.5 hours. The smaller figure is the horizontal one (3 h), halved 1.5 h. Total: 3.5 + 1.5 = 5 hours of walking.
Why the formula is often wrong
It knows nothing about the ground. Boulder fields, wet roots, old snow in early summer and cable-protected sections cost far more time than the arithmetic suggests; a forest road costs much less. Peakflow therefore adds what is actually on the path: surface, the gradient of every section, the SAC grade and current snow cover from satellite imagery.
Your own speed
If you record your walks, Peakflow learns your pace uphill and adjusts the estimate to you instead of comparing you to an average hiker.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between the SAC and DIN formulas?
DIN 33466 works the same way but fixes 4 km/h horizontally and 300 m/h uphill. The SAC version is the common one across the Alps.
Are breaks included?
No, both formulas give pure walking time. Add about five minutes per hour, and at least 45 minutes for a hut stop.
How much does snow slow you down?
On old snowfields expect one and a half to three times as long, depending on how hard it is. Peakflow shows snow on the route before you leave.
Related
- Send a GPX route to your Garmin watch — no cable, no subscription
- The SAC hiking scale: T1 to T6 explained
- Offline hiking map: navigate without a signal
- Plan a loop: come back a different way
- Open and view a GPX file — in the browser, no account
- All guides
- Races with route profiles
Was du mit Peakflow machen kannst
Kostenloser Routenplaner für die Alpen – ohne Abo, ohne Konto-Zwang.
Wander- und Trailpfade statt Luftlinie – mit Untergrund, Steigung und realistischer Gehzeit.
Jede Änderung an der Route rechnet Distanz, Auf- und Abstieg sofort neu.
Route mit einem Tipp an Garmin, Suunto oder Coros – oder als GPX exportieren.
Wetter direkt auf der Route, Stunde für Stunde – inklusive Schneegrenze und Gewitterrisiko.
Haltestellen und Fahrpläne auf der Karte: Tour planen ohne zweites Auto am Startpunkt.
Öffnungszeiten, Bergbahnen und Wasserquellen entlang der Strecke – alles an einem Ort.
