Car Trip Planner

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Still deciding on the Road Trip Planner Printables?

• Itinerary (PDF/DOCX)
• Trip budget (XLSX)
• Packing list (PDF, DOCX)
• Car check (PDF, DOCX)
• Road trip bingo (PDF)

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Free printables

Single sheets you can print right now, no sign-up. The full pack adds every sheet in one download plus the editable files.

Printable Road Trip Itinerary1 page · free PDFPrintable Road Trip Budget Sheet2 pages · free PDFPrintable Road Trip Packing List1 page · free PDFPrintable Car Pre-Trip Check1 page · free PDFPrintable Road Trip Bingo1 page · free PDF

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How the planner works

1. You enter the start and each stop with the distance to it from the previous stop — from a map app, a road atlas or a route planner.
2. Driving time for each leg is distance ÷ average speed.
3. A break is added each time you reach your “break every” interval.
4. When you reach your daily driving limit, the planner adds an overnight stop and restarts the next morning at your chosen start time; it also suggests stopping at a destination once you have driven most of the day.
5. Fuel or electricity is distance × consumption, and cost is split between the people sharing.

Distances aren’t looked up automatically, so the planner works offline and your route stays private.

Choosing an average speed

Your average speed over a whole trip is lower than the speed limit because of towns, traffic, road works and junctions. On motorways and interstates many drivers average around 55–60 mph (90–100 km/h) including slowdowns; on country roads 35–45 mph (55–70 km/h) is more realistic, and less in mountains. Check the time a map app estimates for one leg and adjust your average speed until the planner matches it.

Breaks and driving hours

Road safety organisations commonly advise a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours of driving, and fatigue is a major cause of serious crashes. Share the driving if you can, avoid driving during the hours you would normally be asleep, and stop if you feel drowsy — caffeine and a short nap help only briefly. Professional drivers have legal limits on daily driving hours; for a holiday, many people find 6–8 hours a day enough.

Worked example

Three friends drive Chicago to Denver via St. Louis and Kansas City: 297 + 248 + 606 = 1,151 miles. At an average of 55 mph that is about 20.9 hours of driving. With a 15-minute break every 2 hours and a limit of 8 hours a day, the planner suggests stopping overnight in St. Louis, because the 4.5-hour leg to Kansas City won’t fit in the rest of the day. On day two it drives through Kansas City and adds a second overnight stop partway along the 606-mile leg to Denver, arriving on the third day. A car doing 30 mpg uses about 38.4 US gallons; at $3.50 a gallon that is about $134, plus $25 of tolls and parking — roughly $53 each. Tailpipe CO₂ is about 341 kg.

Fuel and charging

Real-world economy on a loaded car at motorway speeds is often worse than the official figure. For electric cars, rapid-charger prices are usually much higher than home charging, and cold weather reduces range; plan charging stops at 10–80% for the fastest charging.

CO₂ estimate

The planner uses the US Environmental Protection Agency’s figures of about 8.89 kg of CO₂ from burning a US gallon of gasoline and 10.18 kg from a gallon of diesel. It shows tailpipe emissions only; electric cars have no tailpipe emissions, but the electricity’s emissions depend on how it is generated.

Road trip checklist

• Check tyres (pressure and tread), oil, coolant, screen wash and lights.
• Download offline maps in case you lose signal.
• Pack water, snacks, a phone charger, a first aid kit and a warning triangle.
• Check breakdown cover and insurance, especially abroad.
• Book overnight stops in busy seasons.
• Plan fun stops — viewpoints, parks and places to stretch.

Planning around daylight and weather

Driving in daylight is easier and safer on unfamiliar roads, especially in rural areas and mountains. In winter, check road conditions and closures before each day’s drive and carry warm clothing, water and a blanket. Allow extra time for summer holiday traffic near cities and popular destinations.

Splitting costs fairly

The simplest split divides fuel, tolls and parking equally among everyone in the car. If the car’s owner is providing the vehicle, some groups add a per-mile allowance for wear and tear, or the owner pays less. Agree before you set off, and keep receipts in one place — the CSV download makes it easy to share the plan and costs with the group.