What does station notation like 12+34.56 mean?

The number before the plus sign is the station number and the number after is the remainder. With a 100 ft interval, 12+34.56 means 12 × 100 + 34.56 = 1,234.56 ft from the origin (Station 0+00).

What is the standard station interval?

US highway and railroad surveys use a 100 ft interval (stations written as 10+00, 11+00, etc.). Metric projects typically use a 1,000 m interval (1+000, 2+000). Some pipelines use 1,000 ft intervals.

What is the difference between stationing and chainage?

They mean the same thing. "Stationing" is common in American practice; "chainage" is preferred in British, Canadian, and international metric practice. Both express cumulative distance along an alignment.

Can stations go past 99+99.99?

Yes. With a 100 ft interval a station of 100+00 = 10,000 ft is perfectly valid. The station number before the plus sign can be any non-negative integer.

How do I compute the distance between two stations?

Convert each station to its decimal distance, then subtract the smaller from the larger. This tool's Station-to-Distance panel gives you both decimal values so you can do the subtraction manually.

Stationing Calculator

Name: Stationing Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Convert between station notation (12+34.56) and decimal distances, and find the station at any offset along a route.

Station Interval

Station → Distance

Enter a station in XX+YY.YY format

Distance → Station

Enter a decimal distance to get station notation

Station + Offset

Find the resulting station after adding an offset to a base station

Base Station

Offset Distance (+ forward, − back)

Distance Between Two Stations

Subtract two stations to find the segment length

Station A

Station B

Station Notation Quick Reference

Interval	Station	Decimal

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Summary

Convert between station notation (12+34.56) and decimal distances, and find the station at any offset along a route.

How it works

Choose the station interval (100 ft for US roads, 1000 m for metric, or a custom value).
To convert a station to distance: enter the station in XX+YY.YY format and read the decimal result.
To convert a distance to station: enter the decimal distance and get the station notation.
To find a station at an offset: enter the base station and a positive or negative offset distance.
All results update instantly as you type.

Use cases

Convert road centerline stationing to total distance for quantity take-offs.
Calculate the station of a utility crossing a set distance from a reference point.
Verify chainage values on pipeline or highway alignment drawings.
Find the station halfway between two known stations.
Convert metric (1+000) and imperial (10+00) stationing formats.
Compute the distance between two stations on a route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-11 · Reviewed by Nham Vu