How Long Does It Take to Walk 5 km?
It takes approximately 52 minutes to walk 5 km (3.1 miles) at an average walking pace of 4.8 km/h (3.0 mph). At a brisk pace of 5.6 km/h (3.5 mph), you'll finish in about 53 minutes and 26 seconds, while a leisurely walker at 3.2 km/h (2.0 mph) may need 1 hour 34 minutes. These estimates come from Bohannon & Andrews (2011), a meta-analysis of 23,111 subjects across 41 studies.
Calculate Your Walking Time
Distance: 5 km (3.11 mi)
Walking Time for 5 km at Different Paces
Five kilometres is one of the most popular walking and running distances worldwide — it's the standard parkrun distance, the most common charity race, and a benchmark for fitness walkers everywhere. Here are the exact times.
| Pace Level | Speed (km/h) | Speed (mph) | Min/km | Time for 5 km | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leisurely | 3.2 | 2.0 | 18:38 | 1:33:10 | Casual stroll |
| Easy | 4.0 | 2.5 | 15:00 | 1:15:00 | Relaxed walk, chatting easily |
| Moderate | 4.8 | 3.0 | 12:26 | 1:02:10 | Average adult walking pace |
| Brisk | 5.6 | 3.5 | 10:43 | 53:35 | Purpose-driven, breathing harder |
| Fast | 6.4 | 4.0 | 9:23 | 46:55 | Power walking, slight sweat |
| Very Fast | 7.2 | 4.5 | 8:20 | 41:40 | Race walking / athletic pace |
At moderate pace, 5 km takes just over an hour. At brisk pace, it fits under 54 minutes — making a 5 km walk achievable during a standard lunch break.
The average parkrun finish time is about 32 minutes (The Running Channel, 2024), but that's heavily skewed by runners. Walking a parkrun in under an hour is perfectly common and officially encouraged.
How Long to Walk 5 km by Age
Your comfortable walking speed — and therefore your 5 km time — changes predictably with age. According to Bohannon & Andrews (2011):
| Age Group | Men's Speed (km/h) | Men's 5 km Time | Women's Speed (km/h) | Women's 5 km Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 4.90 | 1:01:13 | 4.83 | 1:02:10 |
| 30–39 | 5.15 | 58:15 | 4.83 | 1:02:10 |
| 40–49 | 5.15 | 58:15 | 5.00 | 1:00:00 |
| 50–59 | 5.15 | 58:15 | 4.72 | 1:03:34 |
| 60–69 | 4.83 | 1:02:10 | 4.47 | 1:07:07 |
| 70–79 | 4.54 | 1:06:05 | 4.07 | 1:13:47 |
| 80–99 | 3.49 | 1:25:57 | 3.38 | 1:28:45 |
Key takeaways:
- Under 1 hour: Men aged 30–59 and women aged 40–49 all complete 5 km in under 60 minutes at their natural pace. This makes 5 km universally accessible as a sub-hour walk for most working-age adults.
- The 1-hour line: Women over 50 and men over 60 typically cross 1 hour. At 5 km, this feels like a natural single-session walk regardless.
- Senior accessibility: Even adults over 80 finish in under 1 hour 29 minutes. Five km remains a comfortable single-session distance at every age.
5 Real-World Examples
1. The Parkrun Walker
Sophie, 42, walks her local 5 km parkrun every Saturday morning. At a brisk 5.6 km/h (3.5 mph), she finishes in about 53 minutes 35 seconds. She's one of many walkers at parkrun — the event explicitly welcomes walking, jogging, and running equally.
At 65 kg (143 lbs), Sophie burns approximately 237 calories (143 × 0.53 × 3.1 miles). Her weekly parkrun, combined with two shorter weekday walks, keeps her well above the CDC's recommended 150 minutes of weekly activity.
2. The Commuter's One-Way Walk
Hassan, 35, lives 5 km from his office in a European city. At a brisk 5.6 km/h, his walk takes about 54 minutes. He walks one way and cycles home — alternating to keep the commute varied.
His one-way walk provides 270 minutes of walking per week (5 days × 54 minutes). That alone exceeds the CDC's 150-minute guideline by 80%. At 82 kg (181 lbs), each walk burns about 297 calories (181 × 0.53 × 3.1).
3. The Family Weekend Walk
The Patel family — parents (ages 38 and 40) and two children (ages 8 and 11) — walk a 5 km trail every Sunday. With children setting the pace, the family moves at about 3.5 km/h (2.2 mph). Their walk takes roughly 1 hour 25 minutes, with stops to examine bugs, throw stones in streams, and argue about who gets to carry the snack bag.
At family pace, the adults' calorie burn is lower per minute but the duration is longer — about 270 calories each over the extended walk at 70 kg (154 lbs).
4. The Post-Surgery Recovery Walker
Martin, 63, is rebuilding his walking stamina after knee surgery. His physiotherapist sets a target of walking 5 km without stopping. At a careful 3.5 km/h (2.2 mph), his first 5 km walk takes 1 hour 25 minutes. Over 8 weeks, he builds his pace to 4.5 km/h (2.8 mph), cutting the time to about 1 hour 7 minutes.
Walking speed has been called "the sixth vital sign" by Fritz & Lusardi (2009) in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. Martin's progressive improvement signals genuine recovery.
5. The Tourist's City Walk
Luisa, 48, walks 5 km through a historic city centre as a self-guided tour. At a leisurely 3.2 km/h (2.0 mph) — slowed by photo stops, café breaks, and window shopping — her walking portion takes about 1 hour 33 minutes, spread across a 3-hour morning outing.
At 72 kg (159 lbs), Luisa burns roughly 261 calories from walking (159 × 0.53 × 3.1). She doesn't think of it as exercise, but 5 km of urban exploration delivers genuine physical benefits.
What Affects Your 5 km Walking Time?
Five km is short enough that fitness and age matter less than practical factors.
Pace choice is the dominant variable. The difference between leisurely (1:33) and brisk (53 minutes) is 40 minutes — nearly double the time. For 5 km, walking a little faster produces disproportionate time savings.
Urban interruptions add time on city routes. Traffic crossings, crowded pavements, and navigation pauses can add 5–10 minutes to a 5 km city walk versus a park or trail.
Terrain has moderate impact. The Compendium of Physical Activities rates flat walking at MET 3.5 versus 5.3 for a 1–5% gradient. A hilly 5 km route adds 5–10 minutes and burns noticeably more calories.
5 km in Steps and Calories
Steps
At moderate pace, 5 km (3.1 miles) equals approximately 6,981 steps (~2,252 steps per mile × 3.1). By height:
| Height | Approximate Steps (5 km) |
|---|---|
| 5'0" / 152 cm | ~7,793 |
| 5'4" / 163 cm | ~7,307 |
| 5'8" / 173 cm | ~6,820 |
| 6'0" / 183 cm | ~6,495 |
| 6'4" / 193 cm | ~6,154 |
Five km gets most people roughly 70% of the way to 10,000 daily steps from a single walk.
Calories Burned
Using the Compendium formula (body weight in lbs × 0.53 × 3.1 miles):
| Body Weight | Calories Burned (5 km) |
|---|---|
| 55 kg / 121 lbs | ~199 cal |
| 65 kg / 143 lbs | ~235 cal |
| 75 kg / 165 lbs | ~271 cal |
| 85 kg / 187 lbs | ~307 cal |
| 100 kg / 220 lbs | ~362 cal |
The CDC benchmark of 280 calories per hour for a 70 kg person at moderate pace works out to about 290 calories over a 62-minute 5 km walk — consistent with these estimates.
Tips for Walking 5 km
Five km is the ideal distance for establishing a walking habit. It's meaningful enough to feel like exercise, short enough to do almost daily.
Use parkrun as motivation. Over 2,500 parkrun events worldwide offer free, timed 5 km events every Saturday morning. Walking is welcomed. Having a weekly event creates accountability and community.
Time yourself and track progress. Moving from a 62-minute 5 km to a 54-minute 5 km — moderate to brisk pace — is an achievable 8-week goal that reflects real fitness improvement.
Walk 5 km three times per week and you'll hit 156 minutes of moderate-intensity activity — just exceeding the CDC's 150-minute weekly recommendation. That's the simplest path to meeting public health guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to walk 5 km on a treadmill?
At 4.8 km/h (3.0 mph), a treadmill walk of 5 km takes about 62 minutes. At 5.6 km/h (3.5 mph), about 54 minutes; at 6.4 km/h (4.0 mph), about 47 minutes.
Treadmill displays typically show distance in km, making 5 km an easy target to set and track.
Is walking 5 km a day good exercise?
Walking 5 km daily at moderate pace provides about 434 minutes of activity per week — nearly 3× the CDC's recommended 150 minutes. At roughly 6,981 steps per walk, you'll easily surpass the 8,000-step daily threshold linked to 51% lower mortality risk in a CDC-cited study.
Five km per day is a robust exercise habit by any standard.
How does walking 5 km compare to running it?
The average 5K running time is about 32 minutes overall, with men averaging 28 minutes and women 34 minutes (RunRepeat, 2024). Walking 5 km at moderate pace takes about 62 minutes — roughly double the average running time.
Walking 5 km burns about 271 calories for a 75 kg person, while running burns about 384 calories. Running is faster and more calorie-efficient, but walking requires zero running fitness.
Related Pages
- How Long to Walk 3 Miles — 5 km ≈ 3.1 miles
- How Long to Walk 10 km — double the distance
- How Long to Run a 5K — running comparison
- How Far Can I Walk in 1 Hour? — roughly 5 km at moderate pace
- Walking Time Calculator — calculate any distance
Sources Cited
- Bohannon, R.W. & Andrews, A.W. (2011). "Normal walking speed: a descriptive meta-analysis." Physiotherapy, 97(3), 182–189. PubMed: 21820535
- RunRepeat (2024). Average 5K race finish times. runrepeat.com
- CDC Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (2018). health.gov
- Compendium of Physical Activities — MET values. compendiumofphysicalactivities.com
- ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal (2008). Step counts per mile at various speeds.
- Fritz, S. & Lusardi, M. (2009). "White paper: Walking speed — the sixth vital sign." Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 32(2), 2–5.