diff --git a/jsprit-core/src/main/java/jsprit/core/util/GreatCircleCosts.java b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/jsprit/core/util/GreatCircleCosts.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9b8eb2e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/jsprit/core/util/GreatCircleCosts.java
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+/*******************************************************************************
+ * Copyright (C) 2014  Stefan Schroeder
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 3.0 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public 
+ * License along with this library.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ ******************************************************************************/
+package jsprit.core.util;
+
+
+
+import jsprit.core.problem.cost.AbstractForwardVehicleRoutingTransportCosts;
+import jsprit.core.problem.driver.Driver;
+import jsprit.core.problem.vehicle.Vehicle;
+
+/**
+ * 
+ * @author stefan schroeder
+ * 
+ */
+
+public class GreatCircleCosts extends AbstractForwardVehicleRoutingTransportCosts {
+
+	public double speed = 1.;
+
+    public double detour = 1.;
+
+    public void setSpeed(double speed) {
+        this.speed = speed;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the detour factor.
+     * <p>
+     * The distance is calculated by the great circle distance * detour factor.
+     * </p>
+     * @param detour
+     */
+    public void setDetour(double detour) {
+        this.detour = detour;
+    }
+
+    private Locations locations;
+
+    private GreatCircleDistanceCalculator.DistanceUnit distanceUnit = GreatCircleDistanceCalculator.DistanceUnit.Kilometer;
+
+	public GreatCircleCosts(Locations locations) {
+		super();
+		this.locations = locations;
+	}
+
+
+    public GreatCircleCosts(Locations locations, GreatCircleDistanceCalculator.DistanceUnit distanceUnit) {
+        super();
+        this.locations = locations;
+        this.distanceUnit = distanceUnit;
+    }
+
+	@Override
+	public double getTransportCost(String fromId, String toId, double time,Driver driver, Vehicle vehicle) {
+        double distance;
+        try {
+            distance = calculateDistance(fromId, toId);
+        } catch (NullPointerException e) {
+            throw new NullPointerException("cannot calculate euclidean distance. coordinates are missing. either add coordinates or use another transport-cost-calculator.");
+        }
+        double costs = distance;
+        if(vehicle != null){
+            if(vehicle.getType() != null){
+                costs = distance * vehicle.getType().getVehicleCostParams().perDistanceUnit;
+            }
+        }
+        return costs;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public double getTransportTime(String fromId, String toId, double time, Driver driver, Vehicle vehicle) {
+		return calculateDistance(fromId, toId) / speed;
+	}
+
+	private double calculateDistance(String fromId, String toId) {
+		Coordinate fromCoordinate = locations.getCoord(fromId);
+        Coordinate toCoordinate = locations.getCoord(toId);
+        return GreatCircleDistanceCalculator.calculateDistance(fromCoordinate, toCoordinate, distanceUnit) * detour;
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/jsprit-core/src/main/java/jsprit/core/util/GreatCircleDistanceCalculator.java b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/jsprit/core/util/GreatCircleDistanceCalculator.java
index 3e90aeda..578f6fce 100644
--- a/jsprit-core/src/main/java/jsprit/core/util/GreatCircleDistanceCalculator.java
+++ b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/jsprit/core/util/GreatCircleDistanceCalculator.java
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ package jsprit.core.util;
  */
 public class GreatCircleDistanceCalculator {
 
+    public enum DistanceUnit {
+
+        Meter, Kilometer
+
+    }
+
     private static final double R = 6372.8; // km
 
     /**
@@ -36,7 +42,7 @@ public class GreatCircleDistanceCalculator {
      * @param coord2 - to coord
      * @return great circle distance
      */
-    public  static double calculateDistance(Coordinate coord1, Coordinate coord2){
+    public  static double calculateDistance(Coordinate coord1, Coordinate coord2, DistanceUnit unit){
         double lon1 = coord1.getX();
         double lon2 = coord2.getX();
         double lat1 = coord1.getY();
@@ -49,7 +55,11 @@ public class GreatCircleDistanceCalculator {
 
         double a = Math.sin(delta_Lat / 2) * Math.sin(delta_Lat / 2) + Math.sin(delta_Lon / 2) * Math.sin(delta_Lon / 2) * Math.cos(lat1) * Math.cos(lat2);
         double c = 2 * Math.asin(Math.sqrt(a));
-        return R * c;
+        double distance = R * c;
+        if(unit.equals(DistanceUnit.Meter)){
+            distance = distance * 1000.;
+        }
+        return distance;
     }
 
 }