How Long Is an Olympic Swimming Pool? 164 Feet Explained With Real Comparisons

How long is an Olympic swimming pool? An Olympic swimming pool is 164 feet long — that is 50 metres, or 1,969 inches.

An Olympic pool is the long, straight rectangle you see at the Summer Games: 10 lanes, each 2.5 metres wide, stretching 50 metres from one end wall to the other. It is about 82 feet wide, at least about 2 metres deep, and it holds around 2.5 million litres of water.

This guide compares an Olympic swimming pool with 12 big, familiar things — aircraft, boats and ships, and land and buildings you can picture — so you can feel 164 feet at a glance, with pictures for every comparison.

Reference Guide Olympic Swimming Pool Conversion Chart
Unit	Equivalent to 50 metres
Meters	50 m
Feet	164 ft
Inches	1,969 in
Centimeters	5,000 cm
Yards	54.68 yd
Width	82 ft (25 m)

Quick tip: 1 metre is 3.28 feet, so 50 metres is about 164 feet.

Reference Guide 12 Things About as Long as an Olympic Swimming Pool
Category	Common Objects
Aircraft	An Airbus A380 A Boeing 777 A Boeing 787 Dreamliner A C-5 Galaxy Cargo Plane
Boats and Ships	A Mega Yacht A River Barge A Coast Guard Cutter A Diesel Submarine
Land and Buildings	An Argentinosaurus Dinosaur A Coastal Redwood Tree A 15-Storey Tower Block An Ice Hockey Rink

Here is the full list of Olympic swimming pool comparisons covered in this guide, organized by category.

How Long Is an Olympic Swimming Pool — Aircraft

Aircraft give some of the most memorable Olympic swimming pool references, because a jet’s length is close to the pool’s 164 feet — some a little longer, some a lot longer.

1. An Airbus A380

An Airbus A380 passenger jet, about 239 feet long, longer than an Olympic swimming pool

An Airbus A380 is about 239 feet long. That is about 75 feet longer than an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — picture the pool, then add almost half a pool again.

This Airbus-A380-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is an airport reference: stand at the end of a runway and watch the world’s largest passenger jet taxi past, and its nose-to-tail length runs well past one Olympic pool. It is a good way to picture 164 feet as a length that even a giant airliner overshoots.

2. A Boeing 777

A Boeing 777 passenger jet, about 209 feet long, longer than an Olympic swimming pool

A Boeing 777 is about 209 feet long. That is about 45 feet longer than an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the jet stretches about a quarter of a pool past the pool’s end wall.

This Boeing-777-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is a long-haul reference: picture a 777 parked at the gate and its length runs past a full Olympic pool. It is a handy way to feel 164 feet as the length of a wide-body jet, minus a little.

3. A Boeing 787 Dreamliner

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger jet, about 186 feet long, close to an Olympic swimming pool

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner is about 186 feet long. That is close to an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the jet is only about 22 feet longer than the pool.

This Boeing-787-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is a modern-airliner reference: a Dreamliner at the gate is just a little longer than a full Olympic pool. Picture the pool’s 10 lanes, then stretch them a touch further, and you have pictured 164 feet.

4. A C-5 Galaxy Cargo Plane

A C-5 Galaxy cargo plane, about 247 feet long, longer than an Olympic swimming pool

A C-5 Galaxy cargo plane is about 247 feet long. That is about 83 feet longer than an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the giant military transport runs about one and a half pools long.

This C-5-Galaxy-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is a military-airlift reference: the C-5’s huge cargo hold swallows tanks and helicopters, and its fuselage stretches far past a single Olympic pool. It is a good way to picture 164 feet as a length that even the biggest cargo planes leave behind.

How Long Is an Olympic Swimming Pool — Boats and Ships

Boats and ships give hands-on Olympic swimming pool references, because hulls are measured in feet and a ship’s length is something you can walk along on a dock.

5. A Mega Yacht

A mega yacht, about 200 feet long, longer than an Olympic swimming pool

A mega yacht is about 200 feet long. That is about 36 feet longer than an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the yacht’s bow-to-stern length runs past the pool by about a fifth of a pool.

This mega-yacht-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is a harbour reference: picture a gleaming white superyacht tied up at a marina and its deck stretches a little past a full Olympic pool. It is a simple way to feel 164 feet as the length of a very large boat.

6. A River Barge

A river barge, about 180 feet long, close to an Olympic swimming pool

A river barge is about 180 feet long. That is close to an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the barge is only about 16 feet longer than the pool.

This river-barge-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is a river-traffic reference: picture a long, flat barge loaded with containers gliding down a river, and you have pictured just past one Olympic pool. It is one of the closest water matches for 164 feet.

7. A Coast Guard Cutter

A Coast Guard cutter ship, about 150 feet long, close to an Olympic swimming pool

A Coast Guard cutter is about 150 feet long. That is close to an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the ship is only about 14 feet shorter than the pool.

This Coast-Guard-cutter-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is a patrol-ship reference: picture a white-hulled cutter on patrol and its length runs almost the full length of an Olympic pool. It is a good way to picture 164 feet as the length of a working ship.

8. A Diesel Submarine

A diesel submarine, about 170 feet long, close to an Olympic swimming pool

A diesel submarine is about 170 feet long. That is close to an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the submarine is only about 6 feet longer than the pool.

This diesel-submarine-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is almost a perfect match: picture a submarine surfacing beside a dock and its hull runs about the length of one Olympic pool. It is one of the closest matches for 164 feet, and a fitting one, since both are long, narrow shapes built for the water.

How Long Is an Olympic Swimming Pool — Land and Buildings

Land and buildings give grounded Olympic swimming pool references, because a dinosaur, a tall tree, a tower block and a sports rink are all sized in feet you can stand beside.

9. An Argentinosaurus Dinosaur

An Argentinosaurus dinosaur, about 115 feet long, shorter than an Olympic swimming pool

An Argentinosaurus dinosaur was about 115 feet long. That is about 49 feet shorter than an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the giant dinosaur covers about two-thirds of the pool’s length.

This Argentinosaurus-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is a prehistoric reference: picture the biggest land animal that ever lived stretched out along the pool, and its tail still falls well short of the far end wall. It is a good way to picture 164 feet as a length even a giant dinosaur could not fill.

10. A Coastal Redwood Tree

A coastal redwood tree, about 200 feet tall, taller than an Olympic swimming pool is long

A coastal redwood tree grows to about 200 feet tall. That is about 36 feet taller than an Olympic swimming pool is long at 164 feet — lay the tree down flat and it would overhang the pool by about a fifth of the pool’s length.

This coastal-redwood-height Olympic swimming pool comparison is a forest reference: stand at the foot of a towering redwood and look up, and its height runs past one Olympic pool laid end to end. It is a simple way to feel 164 feet as a height as well as a length.

11. A 15-Storey Tower Block

A 15-storey tower block, about 150 feet tall, close to an Olympic swimming pool

A 15-storey tower block stands about 150 feet tall. That is close to an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the building is only about 14 feet shorter than the pool is long.

This tower-block-height Olympic swimming pool comparison is a city reference: picture a 15-storey block of flats, then tip it on its side, and its height runs almost the full length of an Olympic pool. It is a handy way to picture 164 feet as a height you see on a city street every day.

12. An Ice Hockey Rink

An ice hockey rink, about 200 feet long, longer than an Olympic swimming pool

An ice hockey rink is about 200 feet long. That is about 36 feet longer than an Olympic swimming pool at 164 feet — the rink’s ice runs past the pool by about a fifth of a pool.

This ice-hockey-rink-length Olympic swimming pool comparison is a sports reference: picture a hockey rink with players racing from goal to goal, and its length runs past a full Olympic pool. It is a fitting final comparison — two sporting arenas, one just a little longer than the other.

FAQ Section

How long is an Olympic swimming pool?

An Olympic swimming pool is 164 feet long, which is 50 metres, or 1,969 inches.

How wide is an Olympic swimming pool?

An Olympic swimming pool is about 82 feet wide, which is 25 metres. It has 10 lanes, and each lane is 2.5 metres wide.

How long is an Olympic swimming pool in yards?

An Olympic swimming pool is 54.68 yards long. That is 50 metres, since one yard is about 0.91 metres.

How deep is an Olympic swimming pool?

An Olympic swimming pool is at least about 2 metres deep. It holds around 2.5 million litres of water.

How can I picture 164 feet without a tape measure?

Picture a diesel submarine at about 170 feet long, a river barge at about 180 feet long, or a Coast Guard cutter at about 150 feet long — all close to an Olympic swimming pool, or 164 feet.

Conclusion

So, how long is an Olympic swimming pool? In this Olympic swimming pool guide, the answer is 164 feet — 50 metres, or 1,969 inches, which is 5,000 centimeters and about 54.68 yards. That is a little shorter than a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a little longer than a Coast Guard cutter, and about the length of a diesel submarine. From an Airbus A380 to an ice hockey rink, these 12 big comparisons make 164 feet easy to picture. Next time you watch the Olympic swimming finals, remember the pool is about as long as a submarine — and now you know which ones.