Road Trip Cost Calculator

Calculate fuel cost, driving time and cost per person for road trips. Split costs easily.

Source: HMRC — Travel and mileage rates

Konstantin Iakovlev

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Founder, Calks.uk

Last updated: · Verified against HMRC and GOV.UK 2026/27 rates

Cost Per Person

£28.01

Total: £56.03 split 2 ways

Fuel Cost

£46.03

Fuel Needed

34.1L

Cost/Mile

15.3p

Drive Time

6h 0m

Disclaimer

This calculator is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial or tax advice. All calculations are performed locally in your browser — no personal data is collected or sent to our servers. Rates and thresholds are sourced from HMRC and GOV.UK and are updated for the current tax year. Always verify results with HMRC or consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

How It Works

Planning a UK road trip budget means accounting for fuel, tolls, parking, accommodation and food. Fuel is usually the largest variable cost: divide your total distance by your car's MPG, convert to litres (multiply by 4.546) and multiply by the price per litre. A 500-mile trip in a 40 MPG car at £1.40/litre costs approximately £80 in fuel.

Major UK tolls include the M6 Toll (£8 for cars), Dartford Crossing (£2.50 online), Humber Bridge (£2.00), Severn Bridge (free since 2018) and the Mersey Gateway (£2.00). Parking costs vary hugely: free in rural areas, £5-£15/day in towns and £20-£50/day in city centres. National Trust and English Heritage car parks are free for members.

This calculator lets you plan your entire trip budget by entering your route, vehicle details, number of nights, accommodation budget and planned stops. It produces a complete cost breakdown and per-person split for shared trips.

UK road trip cost components. Fuel: most variable cost. £1.45/litre × 4.546 = £6.59/gallon. 40 mpg car: 16.5p/mile fuel. 1,000-mile round trip = £165 fuel. Accommodation: B&B £80-£150/night; budget hotel £60-£100; mid-range £100-£200; premium £200-£500. Average UK road trip 5 days: £400-£1,000 accommodation. Food: £30-£60/day pp eating in pubs and cafés; £15-£30/day self-catering.

Toll roads and bridges UK 2026. M6 Toll (Birmingham bypass): £8.30 car (weekday peak). Dartford Crossing (London): £2.50 car. Severn Bridges (England-Wales): FREE since 2018 (was £6.70). Mersey Gateway (Liverpool-Runcorn): £2 (need to register or fine). Tyne Tunnel (Newcastle): £1.90. Skye Bridge (Scotland): FREE since 2004. UK has fewer tolls than France or Spain — most roads free. Congestion zones: London £15/day; Birmingham £8/day (Clean Air Zone); Bath/Manchester/Bristol similar.

EV road trip considerations. Range 250-350 miles real-world for premium EVs (Tesla Model Y, Polestar 2). Rapid charging stops: 20-30 min for 80% (10-80%). Network reliability: BP Pulse 91%; Pod Point 88%; Ionity 95% (most reliable). Cost: rapid charging 60-80p/kWh = 15-20p/mile (similar to petrol). Network apps: Zap-Map (best UK), A Better Routeplanner (route optimiser for EVs). Plan ahead — rural Scotland/Wales sparse charging.

Best UK road trip routes. North Coast 500 (Scotland Highlands): 516 miles, 5-7 days, world-famous. Cornwall coast (St Ives → Land's End → Tintagel): 250 miles, 4-5 days. Wales Coast Path drive: 1,400 miles full, popular sections Pembrokeshire + Snowdonia. Lake District loop: 100 miles, 2-3 days. Cotswolds: 80 miles, 2 days. Cost estimates: NC500 £600-£1,200 pp; Cornwall £400-£800 pp; weekend trips £150-£400 pp.

Saving on UK road trips. Off-season: Sep-May 30-50% cheaper than peak summer. Mid-week: hotels 20-40% cheaper. Self-catering cottages: £200-£500 for week (cheaper than hotels for 4+). Pubs with rooms: £60-£100/night includes breakfast. National Trust + English Heritage membership: £80-£120/year, free entry 350+ properties. Petrol Apps: PetrolPrices.com, GasBuddy — save 5-10p/litre. Camping/wild camping (Scotland): from £15/night to free. Total budget UK road trip: £300-£500 pp for 5 days achievable.

Example: London to Edinburgh and back, 2 nights

  1. Total distance: ~800 miles round trip
  2. Fuel (40 MPG, £1.42/L): 800 / 40 x 4.546 x £1.42 = £129
  3. Tolls (M6 Toll each way): £16
  4. Accommodation (2 nights x £90): £180
  5. Parking and miscellaneous: £30
  6. Total trip cost: ~£355 (£178 per person if shared)

Source: HMRC — Travel and mileage rates

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Road Trip Cost Calculator do?
Calculate fuel cost, driving time and cost per person for road trips. Split costs easily.
Does this use current UK rates?
Yes. This calculator uses the latest UK rates for vehicle tax, fuel duty and other motoring costs as of the 2026/27 financial year.
Is this suitable for electric vehicles?
From April 2025, electric vehicles are no longer exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax). This calculator accounts for EV-specific rates where applicable.