How long would it take to get to Mars?

Written by

Estela Morais Westphalen

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 9, 2026 •History

On foot, in a straight line? 1,065 years. By car? 40 years. If your preferred mode of travel is a spacecraft—perhaps a wise choice—it should take you approximately nine months with current technology. To calculate how long (time) it would take to reach Mars, two factors are essential: distance and speed. Earth is never still. It spins on its axis and orbits the Sun. Mars does the same. So the distance between Earth and Mars...