If you don’t take the time to approximate the time and distance your characters take from point A to point B, you risk inconsistencies which your detail-oriented readers will pick up on. You don’t want your troupe leaving too late to realistically catch the festival in the next town, or save their friend from his scheduled execution in the next kingdom. If you find they would be arriving too early, you can always throw obstacles in their way to slow them down.

Before you can calculate distance, you need a scaled map. A scale is a measurement showing how many inches/millimeters represent a number of miles. My own map scale: 1 inch = 100 miles. Now that you have your scale, you can begin measuring. Rarely do you want to measure the direct distance however – roads curve, adventurers have to backtrack, or a lake crosses their path. An easy trick is to use a piece of string or floss instead of a straight edged paper or ruler. You can curve the string along the exact path, cut it off, pull it straight and then measure it.

Now that you have the distance, you can begin to figure out time. Even if you don’t show the traveling itself, you need to have a sense of how much time has passed. What transportation method are they using? Walking, riding horses, wagon, ship, or some more fantastical method? Or in a modern fantasy: by car, plane, train? Here’s a handy reference chart for some of the most common means. All measurements are miles/hour (mph) unless noted otherwise.

Horses Horse speed varies by breed, stride, and condition, but here’s an average.
Walk: 3-5 mph
Trot: roughly 8-10 mph
Canter/Lope: 10-17 mph
Gallop: about 30 mph

Human travel (all assuming character is in average condition)
on dirt trails: 10-14 miles/day
on paved trails: 8-12 miles/day (no natural cushioning for feet)
on fair trails (natural, rocky, root covered, etc): 8-12 miles/day
average speed over natural terrain: 3 mph

Wagon
Ox-drawn: 16 miles/day
average wagon travel: 2 mph
exhaustive wagon travel: 6 mph

Ship
This varies greatly on ship type, weather, etc. The general answer would be 4 – 5 mph, but I urge you to do more specific research if you have much sea travel.

Transporting Information, not people
Passenger pigeons are able to fly over 60 mph

Keep in mind that the harder, faster speeds are difficult to keep up at long distances and will require more rest periods (non-man-powered vehicles being the exception).

If you use more modern transportation, you’ll want to research for the specific region and era. Also be sure to note the speeds of any travel means you’ve specifically created for your world.

How do I use this information?
If you have a distance and want to know how long it takes to travel, divide the distance by mph. You can figure out how far someone will journey in one day by multiplying the mph by the number of hours they travel. If your characters are on the move a lot, make a string in the length of their average daily travel so you can mark on the map where they end each day.

This is information that isn’t easy to locate through general searches, though the information is out there. I hope you find it useful.

September 17, 2007 (Washington) Trillium Drake Travel Guide is arming travelers with timely information and up-to-date tips and guidelines, and it is helping make the booking and travel process as smooth as possible.

The average traveler has a lot to remember with the recent changes in security guidelines, baggage restrictions, weight limitations and changing food services. Travelers now need to track the latest changes and/or guidelines affecting them with regard to elevated security levels.Now it’s more important than ever to have an insider from Trillium Drake to provide consumers with the latest information on what’s going on in travel and how this affects them.

From information on consumer guidelines to tips on how to travel smart in the current environment, Trillium Drake has created tools to help travelers stay informed. In addition to industry-leading customer service, Trillium Drake offers information on air traffic delays, the latest industry changes, airline security guidelines, flight status, travel trends in an uncertain environment, and even general customer advice.

About Trillium Drake Travel Guide

Trillium Drake Travel Guide pioneered the online travel space and continues to be the most popular travel service on the Web, giving consumers access to hundreds of airlines, thousands of hotels and cruise, last-minute and vacations packages, and best-in-class car rental companies, representatives staffed to provide 24-hour assistance. Trillium Drake the largest travel agency in the United States. It has been recognized worldwide for its leadership in the online travel space, and it operates or powers Web sites in five languages across four continents.

Travel services have become an integral part of the fast growing tourism industry in the United States. Travel agents can provide specialized services which are in demand like never before and play a vital role in helping travelers manage their travel needs. There are number of reasons why travelers require travel services. Some of these include better hotel deals, package deals, hassle free vacations, itinerary planning, and advice. While domestic travel can be managed without the professional guidance of a good travel agent, you will need his services for a foreign trip. Listed below are some of the important reasons why you must use the services of an agent for making your travel plans:

For local trips:

Many travelers use the services of an agent to plan their local trip to avail of the bulk airfare and cheap local tour packages they offer. For most travelers, it is the convenience that is most important when planning a trip. If you are managing everything independently, you will have to spend a great deal of time and energy booking your air tickets online, booking car rentals, making hotel reservations, and so on. However when you work with a travel agent, he takes care of all your travel needs and ensures that he works out the best deal that fits your pocket. Generally, hotels tie up with prominent travel agencies to ensure clientele all throughout the year. They may offer discounts and package deals, which you can avail of only if you plan your trip using these travel agencies.

For foreign trips:

Apart from the convenience of booking your holiday with the help of a ravel agent, you can be assured of a hassle-free holiday even in high season. Small travel issues such as hotel booking cannot be managed easily if you are traveling to a foreign land. Unless you know someone who has been to that country before, you will have to rely only on the Internet for information about that country. Often, images on the Internet are misleading and you may end up with a bad deal. If you are planning a trip during the high season, you may not get reservations or convenient flight bookings. Your travel agent will guarantee you a stress free holiday in some of the most exotic destinations in the world.

Negotiating – Travel agents are in a better position to bargain for good deals, as they have access to all available flights, car rentals, package tours, and hotel bookings.

Visa – Your travel agent knows the visa requirements of the country you are traveling to. In addition, you can look forward to a smooth application process when working with a travel agent. Travel agents can also help you to obtain or renew a passport making your travel easier.

Professional guidance – Your agent can help you to chalk out a convenient itinerary on the basis of places of interest and also inform you about the etiquette, culture, and customs prevailing in that country. You can also seek assistance of your travel agent for currency exchange.