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Trip Cost Calculator

I built TripCostCalc.com to finally answer one simple question: “How much will this road trip actually cost?”

Like many side projects, this one started with frustration.

Every time I planned a road trip, I could find:

  • distance ✔️

  • directions ✔️

  • gas prices ✔️

…but never a clear, realistic total cost that included:

  • fuel or EV charging

  • toll roads

  • European vignettes

  • multiple stops

  • alternative routes (fast vs cheap vs scenic)

So I built TripCostCalc.com — a simple, privacy-first trip cost calculator for gas and electric vehicles, focused on real-world road trips.


🚗 What TripCostCalc does (in short)

TripCostCalc helps you estimate the true cost of a road trip before you go — in seconds.

It works worldwide and supports:

  • petrol / diesel cars

  • electric vehicles

  • multi-stop routes

  • toll roads & vignettes

  • scenic road trips with attractions

No account. No tracking. No saved locations.


🔧 Key features

🔢 Accurate cost calculation

Estimate fuel or charging costs based on:

  • your vehicle’s real efficiency (L/100km, MPG, kWh/100km)

  • current local fuel or electricity prices

  • actual route distance

🗺️ Multi-stop route planning

Add multiple destinations to plan long or complex road trips properly — not just A → B.

⚡ EV & gas support

Switch instantly between:

  • fuel vehicles (petrol/diesel)

  • electric vehicles (EVs)

Charging stations and petrol stations are shown directly on the map.


🧭 How it works (4 simple steps)

1️⃣ Enter your route

Add your starting point, destination, and optional stops.

2️⃣ Provide vehicle details

Enter your car’s efficiency and local fuel or electricity price.

3️⃣ Choose your route type

  • Fastest – quickest arrival

  • Cheapest – avoids tolls & vignettes

  • Scenic – includes tourist attractions

You can also choose currency and vehicle type.

4️⃣ Calculate & analyze

Instantly see:

  • total distance & time

  • estimated fuel / charging cost

  • tolls & vignette prices

  • full interactive route map


💸 Why I think this is useful

Save money before you drive

Instead of guessing, you can:

  • compare different routes

  • test different vehicle efficiencies

  • avoid tolls when it makes sense

This is especially useful for long-distance trips, van life, and cross-border travel in Europe.

EV-friendly by design

Most trip planners still treat EVs as an afterthought.

TripCostCalc lets you:

  • calculate EV energy cost

  • enter kWh/100km or kWh/mile

  • find charging stations along your route

Privacy-first

  • No registration

  • No accounts

  • No stored routes

  • No location history

Everything runs anonymously.


🌍 Tolls, vignettes & real-world costs

This was a big pain point for me, so I built it in:

  • 🇺🇸 USA toll roads, bridges & turnpikes

  • 🇪🇺 European vignettes (Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria)

  • 🇫🇷 🇮🇹 🇪🇸 🇵🇹 distance-based toll systems

If you want to avoid all paid roads, just choose “Cheapest” — the calculator finds a toll-free route automatically.


📸 Scenic routes (my favorite feature)

The Scenic option turns a boring drive into a discovery trip.

It:

  • finds tourist attractions along your route

  • shows landmarks, parks, museums, viewpoints

  • displays ratings, photos, and quick links

Perfect for road trips where the journey matters as much as the destination.


❓ Common questions I get

How accurate is it?
It’s based on real route distance, your vehicle’s efficiency, and local prices. Traffic and driving style can affect real-world usage, but estimates are very close.

Does it store my data?
No. Nothing is saved.

Is it global?
Yes — works worldwide.


🙏 Looking for feedback

This is still evolving, and I’d love input from:

  • road trip lovers

  • EV drivers

  • van lifers

  • travel bloggers

  • SEO / data nerds

👉 TripCostCalc.com

What would you add?
What’s missing?
What would make this indispensable for you?

Happy to answer any questions — and thanks for reading 🚀

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TripCostCalc