Drive Time Map UK - How Far Can You Drive?
Create a drive time map from any UK postcode and see how far you can travel by road in 5 to 60 minutes. Print it or download as a PDF or image. Free, no sign-up.
Create a drive time map for any UK postcode and see exactly how far you can travel in 5 to 60 minutes. Switch between a real road-network drive time area and a simple straight-line radius, then print your map or download it as a PDF or PNG. The tool is free, needs no sign-up, and your search stays in your browser.
How far can I drive in 30 minutes?
How far you can drive in 30 minutes has no single answer - it depends on where you start, the roads nearby and the time of day. Someone starting beside a motorway junction can cover a lot of ground, while a city-centre start in traffic covers far less. This tool answers the question for your exact location instead of guessing.
Enter a UK postcode, choose 30 minutes (or anything from 5 to 60), and the map draws the real area you can reach by road. Switch to radius mode if you just want a straight-line circle for a quick comparison.
Create a drive time map from a UK postcode
To create your map, type a UK postcode into the search box at the top of the sidebar, or click anywhere on the map to drop a pin. Pick your drive time with the slider, then press Show Area on Map. The tool calculates the reachable area along real roads and fits it neatly into view.
You can regenerate as many times as you like, comparing 15, 30 and 60 minute areas from the same point, or moving the pin to test different start locations.
Print your drive time map
Need a copy for a meeting, a property file or a planning document? Press Print Map and your browser opens a clean print view with the sidebar, header and adverts removed, so the map and its title fill the page. From the print dialog you can send it to a printer or choose Save as PDF.
Download as PDF or PNG
The PNG option saves the map as an image you can drop into a slide deck, email or report. The PDF option produces a tidy single-page A4 document with a title showing the postcode and drive time, the map itself, and a small maptools.uk footer. Both options work entirely in your browser.
Use cases
Show the area your reps can realistically cover from a regional office within an hour. A drive time map keeps territory planning honest, so targets and journey expectations are set around roads people actually drive.
Help buyers understand where they can commute from in 30 or 45 minutes. Drop a pin on a workplace or station and advise on which towns and villages fall inside a sensible daily commute.
Define your service area honestly and stop quoting jobs you cannot profitably reach. A drive time boundary from your base shows customers where you work and whether a far-off enquiry is worth the fuel and hours.
See the genuine catchment around a shop or proposed site by realistic drive time, not a straight-line radius. It gives a far better sense of how many households can reach you easily.
Plan delivery boundaries based on the actual road network instead of crow-flight distance. Drive time areas help you set fair charges, promise realistic slots, and avoid orders that wreck your schedule.
Looking for a new home or weighing up a job offer? Generate a drive time area around the workplace and see which neighbourhoods sit within a 30, 45 or 60 minute drive before you start viewing.
How accurate is the drive time calculation?
Drive time is calculated using the real UK road network with OpenStreetMap data, so it accounts for actual roads, not straight-line distances. The calculation assumes typical driving speeds and doesn't yet include live traffic. For most planning purposes - defining service areas, estimating commutes, planning sales territories - it's accurate enough for confident decisions. If you need a quick straight-line comparison, switch to radius mode.
See every postcode within your drive time area
Every drive time area you create includes the full list of UK postcodes contained within the polygon, organised by district and sector. The list updates instantly as you change the centre point or drive time.
Estate agents use this for catchment reports. Sales managers use it for territory planning. Retailers use it for delivery zone definition. Anyone planning a service area gets the data ready to use - count summaries on screen, full list as downloadable CSV grouped by district and sector.
Postcode data is free, unlimited, and works for any UK area from 5 to 60 minutes drive time.
Frequently asked questions
What is a drive time map?
A drive time map shows the area you can reach from a starting point within a set amount of time by car. Instead of a simple circle, it follows the real road network, so the shape stretches along motorways and main roads and pulls in where roads are slow or sparse. It gives a clearer picture of true reach than a straight-line radius.
How far can I drive in 30 minutes?
It depends entirely on where you start. From a city centre in heavy traffic you might cover 8 to 12 miles, while from a town near a motorway you could reach 25 miles or more in the same 30 minutes. Enter your postcode and set the slider to 30 minutes to see the actual area for your location.
How is drive time calculated?
Drive time is worked out using the real UK road network from OpenStreetMap data. The tool samples journeys in every direction from your start point and joins up the points you can reach within your chosen time. It assumes typical driving speeds for each road type and does not yet include live traffic conditions.
Can I create a drive time map from a UK postcode?
Yes. Type any UK postcode into the search box and the tool will centre the map on that location. You can also click directly on the map to drop a pin anywhere. Then choose a drive time and press Show Area on Map.
Can I download a list of postcodes within the drive time area?
Yes. Every generated drive time area includes a free CSV download of all UK postcodes inside the polygon, grouped by district and sector. No signup required.
How many postcodes are typically in a drive time area?
Density varies widely. A 30-minute drive from central London contains around 80,000 postcodes; the same time from a Norfolk village contains around 13,000. The exact count is shown for every area you generate.
Can I print or download my drive time map?
Yes. Once you have generated an area you can download it as a PNG image, save it as a PDF, or print it straight from your browser. The print and PDF options add a title and date so the map is ready to share or file.
Can I save the map as a PDF?
Yes. The Download as PDF button creates a single-page A4 PDF with your map, a title showing the postcode and drive time, and a small footer. You can also choose Save as PDF from your browser's print dialog if you prefer.
What is the difference between drive time and radius?
A radius is a straight-line circle measured as the crow flies, ignoring roads completely. A drive time area follows actual roads, so it shows where you can genuinely get to in the time available. Radius is quick and simple; drive time is more realistic for planning travel, catchment areas and service zones. This tool offers both.
Is the tool free to use?
Yes, the drive time map tool is completely free with no signup required. There is a fair-use limit on how many new drive time areas can be generated per day to keep the service available for everyone, but radius maps are unlimited.
Why is drive time only available for driving?
Driving is the mode most people need for catchment, commute and delivery planning, so it launched first. Walking and cycling drive time areas are planned and the buttons are marked Coming soon. In the meantime you can use radius mode for a rough walking or cycling estimate.
Related guides and tools
Get more from your mapping with these related tools:
- Radius Map Tool - need a straight-line radius instead? Draw a circle on the map as the crow flies.
- Area Calculator - want to calculate the area of any shape? Draw a polygon and measure it.
- Route Optimiser - planning a multi-stop route? See our route planner for the most efficient order.
- Data Sources - where our data comes from and how it's updated.