Transport/Route Planner
Inputs
⚙️ Time Buffers & Stops (optional)
⛽ Energy, Costs & CO₂ (Estimates)
🧠 Break Logic (Recommendation)
Result
Trip Schedule
How does the calculator determine the trip count?
It divides the total quantity by the capacity per trip and always rounds up: Trips = ceil(Total / Capacity). This ensures no boxes/pallets are left behind.
Why is the Total Time higher than "Driving Time × Trips"?
Because loading time, unloading time, stops (e.g. opening gates, paperwork) and an optional buffer per team are added. Breaks can also be included.
What does "Round Trip" mean?
If "Round Trip" is active, the distance is calculated there and back (one-way × 2). You can deactivate this for supply chains without a return trip.
How does the calculator distribute trips across multiple vehicles/teams?
Trips are distributed as evenly as possible. Example: 10 trips and 3 teams → 4/3/3. Each team then gets its own sequential schedule starting from the start time.
Can I use this to plan a move?
Yes – especially if you think roughly in "units" (boxes, crates, pallets). Bonus tip: Estimate capacity conservatively and use the buffer.
How accurate are Costs and CO₂?
These are estimates based on your consumption and price inputs. For CO₂, you can adjust the factor (e.g., diesel, petrol, electricity mix). Ideal for comparing scenarios.
Can I export the plan?
Yes: Click on "Copy Plan". You get a structured text list including Start/End per trip – perfect for pasting into Excel or sending as a message to your team.
What if I have intermediate stops or multiple destinations?
Use "Extra time per trip" for stops. For multiple destinations, you can conservatively increase the distance or calculate the plan for each route separately and compare.
Explanation & Value (Transport/Route Planner)
This Transport/Trip Schedule Calculator helps you create a reliable schedule for trips based on a few realistic inputs – whether for moving, delivery runs, material shuttles to construction sites, or club logistics. The biggest time consumer in transport is rarely just the pure driving distance, but the interaction of capacity, handling (loading/unloading), small stops, and distribution across multiple vehicles. This is exactly where the tool comes in: You enter a total quantity (e.g., boxes, pallets, packages, or any "units") and the capacity per trip. From this, the calculator determines the required number of trips and always rounds up – so nothing is left behind at the end. Subsequently, the travel time per trip is calculated from distance and average speed. Optionally, you can set whether each trip should be calculated as a round trip (there and back) – this is especially helpful if vehicles have to return after unloading.
For a practical plan, times on location are crucial. That's why you can record loading time, unloading time, and additional time per trip – for instance, for opening gates, handing over keys, waiting in line, or paperwork. Additionally, there is a buffer per team, which is added once to the total duration of a team. This allows you to plan conservatively without having to model every single eventuality in minutes. With multiple vehicles or teams, the calculator distributes the trips as evenly as possible (e.g., 10 trips on 3 teams → 4/3/3) and creates a sequential order with start and end times for each team. The result is a clear trip schedule that you can copy directly and pass on to helpers, drivers, or customers.
So that you don't just "get it done" but can also compare and optimize, the tool additionally calculates energy and cost estimates. Depending on the mode, it works with liters per 100 km (combustion engine) or kWh per 100 km (EV). Price and consumption are freely adjustable, as is a CO₂ factor, because values differ depending on fuel and electricity mix. These values are intentionally intended as guidelines: They show you how scenarios change if you, for example, increase the capacity per trip, use a second vehicle, or plan the route more efficiently. The utilization display ("how full is a trip on average?") provides an additional lever for improvement: If the utilization is very low, a different packing logic, a larger van, or bundling stops is often worthwhile.
In short: The calculator turns gut feeling into a clear, communicable plan. You save time on coordination, reduce empty runs, plan realistic buffers, and ultimately have a comprehensible time and cost overview. If you want to be particularly precise, calculate several variants (e.g., with/without round trip, with an additional team, with higher capacity) and choose the combination with the best total time and the best effort. This turns "we'll manage somehow" into a plan everyone can rely on.
Transport Cost Calculator: 5 Calculated Results
This calculator compares the total cost of a journey across different transport modes — car, public transport, bike/e-bike, and combinations thereof. It goes beyond simple fuel cost calculation by including time value, CO₂, and per-person cost splitting.
Total Trip Cost
All monetary costs for the selected transport mode: fuel/electricity + tolls + parking + ticket price. Adjustable for one-way vs. round trip.
Cost per km
Total cost ÷ distance. The most useful metric for comparing efficiency across modes and routes.
Cost per Person
Total cost ÷ number of passengers. Carpooling breakeven: at 3 passengers, car often beats public transport per person.
Estimated Travel Time
Distance ÷ average speed for the selected mode. Includes an optional "value of time" multiplication if you assign an hourly rate to your travel time.
CO₂ per Trip
Distance × mode-specific CO₂ factor (g/km). Lets you compare the environmental cost alongside the financial cost of each option.
Cost & CO₂ by Transport Mode: Reference Values (Germany 2025)
| Mode | Typical cost/km | CO₂ (g/km) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car (petrol, 7 l/100km) | 0.13–0.16 €/km (fuel only) | 160–180 g/km | Flexible, multi-stop, rural routes; poor with parking costs |
| Car (EV, 18 kWh/100km) | 0.05–0.09 €/km (home charging) | 60–100 g/km (DE grid) | High-mileage commuters; cheapest fuel cost per km |
| Deutschlandticket (49 €/mo) | 0.05–0.15 €/km (depends on usage) | 50–80 g/km (ÖPNV avg.) | Urban commuters; very cost-effective above ~350 km/month |
| ICE / Regional Train | 0.10–0.35 €/km (Flexpreis) | 40–55 g/km | Intercity; competitive with car above 150 km if no car needed |
| E-Bike / Bike | 0.01–0.04 €/km (electricity + maint.) | 5–15 g/km | Short urban trips up to ~20 km; fastest in dense cities |
| Taxi / Uber | 0.80–2.50 €/km | ~150 g/km | Last-mile; airport transfers; rare trips only |
Total cost of car ownership (TCO, including depreciation, insurance, tax, maintenance) adds ~0.20–0.45 €/km on top of pure fuel costs. For infrequent drivers, car-sharing (like SHARE NOW, Miles) is often cheaper on a per-km basis once all ownership costs are considered.
Default CO₂ Factors Used in the Calculator
The CO₂ factors for each transport mode are based on official German reference data (UBA, Umweltbundesamt). They can be adjusted in the Advanced Settings:
| Mode | Default CO₂ factor | Source / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Car – Petrol/Diesel | 120–180 g/km | Based on vehicle size; UBA vehicle emission data |
| Car – EV (Germany) | 70–100 g/km | Based on 2024 German electricity mix (~380 g CO₂/kWh) |
| Car – EV (100% Renewable) | 5–15 g/km | Use for PV-charged vehicles; set manually in Advanced |
| Bus (ÖPNV urban) | 80–100 g/km | Average occupancy; varies significantly by load factor |
| Regional train (DE) | 45–60 g/km | DB average including regional rail; lower with Ökostrom |
| Long-distance train ICE | ~30–50 g/km | DB ICE operates largely on Ökostrom |
| Bicycle / E-Bike | 5–20 g/km | Lifecycle of vehicle + electricity for e-bikes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I include parking and tolls in the car cost?
Yes, for a realistic comparison you should include all out-of-pocket costs. Parking in German city centers typically adds 0.50–3.00 € per hour (Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg even more). For a 1-hour city visit, parking alone can add 3–8 € to a trip that costs only 1.50 € in fuel. The "Extra costs per trip" field is designed exactly for this. Without parking, the car almost always looks cheaper than public transport; with realistic parking costs, the picture changes significantly for urban trips.
How does passenger splitting work?
Enter the number of passengers in the "Split costs" field. The calculator divides the total trip cost by this number to show the cost per person. This is particularly relevant for carpooling comparison: a car trip of 100 km with 4 passengers costs roughly the same per person as a train ticket for the same route — making carpooling the clear winner once you factor in comfort and door-to-door time. The Deutschlandticket (49 €/month) beats all modes for urban trips above ~350 km/month.
How is travel time calculated?
Travel time = distance ÷ average speed. The default speeds are set per transport mode (car: 70 km/h average for mixed routes; urban bus: 20 km/h; bike: 15 km/h; e-bike: 22 km/h; train ICE: 160 km/h). These are rough averages that include typical stops and delays. You can override them in the Advanced settings. Note that the calculator does not add access time (walk to station, parking search time) — which often adds 10–30 minutes to car or public transport trips in practice.
Can I calculate the Pendlerpauschale (commuting allowance) deduction from this?
The calculator shows cost and CO₂ data, not tax deductions directly. For the German Pendlerpauschale, you deduct 0.30 €/km (up to 20 km one-way) or 0.38 €/km (from the 21st km) per working day from your taxable income — regardless of transport mode used. Use the distance result from this calculator in your tax return (or the Entfernungspauschale calculator on lokal-check.de) to calculate your actual annual deduction.
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