Get directions & show routes

You can get directions for driving, public transit, walking, or biking on Google Maps. If there are multiple routes, the best route to your destination is blue, and other routes are gray. Some directions in Google Maps are in development and may have limited availability. 

Important: Stay alert when you use directions on Google Maps. Always be aware of your surroundings to ensure the safety of yourself and others. When in doubt, follow actual traffic regulations and confirm signage from the road or path that you’re on.

To get directions:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Search for your destination or tap it on the map.
3. In the bottom left, tap Directions .
4. Choose one of the following:
   • Driving:
   • Motorcycle:
   • Transit:
   • Walking:
   • Rides:
   • Cycling:
   • Flight: 
5. To get the list of directions, tap the bar at the bottom that shows travel time and distance.
   • To choose another route, tap it on the map. Each route shows the estimated travel time on the map.

Tips:

• For transit directions, choose a route, then tap the bar at the bottom that shows travel time and distance. Not all cities have public transit directions in Google Maps. Learn which cities have public transit directions available.
• To pin your favorite trips for Driving and Transit directions, tap Pin at the bottom. Learn more about how to pin your favorite trips.

Get directions for scooters and motorcycles

Important: This feature is not available in all locations.

To get directions for motorcycles or scooters, switch to two-wheeler directions. Google Maps routes you away from roads where two-wheeled vehicles aren’t allowed. Directions may include shortcuts along narrower side roads.

1. Search for your destination or tap it on the map.
2. In the bottom left, tap Directions .
3. Tap Two-Wheeler Start.

Tips:

• Before you start your trip, you can get your next turns up close. Tap the white circles along the route.
• To get more info or add a stop (if you picked your own vehicle), tap a landmark.

Add multiple destinations

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Search for your destination or tap it on the map.
3. At the bottom left, tap Directions .
4. At the top right, tap More Add stop.
   • You can add up to 9 stops.
5. Tap Done.

Tip: Directions to multiple destinations aren’t available for public transit or rides.

To change the order of your stops:

1. On the destination you want to move, touch and hold Reorder .
2. Drag the destination.

Tip: You can search for places along your route.

Customize your route

Avoid tolls and highways

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Search for your destination or tap it on the map.
3. In the bottom left, tap Directions .
4. At the top, tap Driving .
5. At the top right, tap More Route options.
6. Tap Avoid tolls or Avoid highways.
7. Tap Done.

Turn eco-friendly routing on or off

Google Maps displays fuel-efficiency estimates on some routes. The more fuel-efficient the route, the lower your car’s fuel usage and CO₂ emissions.

By default, Maps factors fuel-efficiency into the routes that it chooses for you. Most of the time, the fastest route is also the most fuel-efficient one.

When you turn this feature off, you'll always get the fastest route. Maps will stop factoring in fuel-efficiency for route recommendations. However, you’ll still see fuel-efficiency estimates.

To turn fuel-efficient routes on or off:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Tap your profile picture or initial   Settings   Navigation settings.
3. Scroll to Route Options  Tap Prefer fuel-efficient routes.

Tips:

• This setting might not yet be available to everyone.
• Fuel-efficiency estimates apply to vehicles that run on gas or diesel only.

How Google Maps calculates fuel-efficiency

Google Maps calculates fuel-efficiency using information from the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This calculation includes factors that affect your fuel usage and CO₂ emissions, such as:

• Average fuel consumption for vehicles in your region
• Steepness of hills on your route
• Stop-and-go traffic patterns
• Types of roads (such as local roads or highways)

Maps displays the most fuel-efficient route when it has roughly the same arrival time as the fastest route. In cases where fuel savings are too small or increase driving time significantly, Maps shows relative fuel savings between routes to help you compare.

Read more about eco-friendly routing technology (PDF).

Change your starting point or destination

By default, your starting point is your location. To change where you start and where you're going, follow the steps below. Note: You can't start navigation if you don't use your current location, but you can still get a preview of the route.

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Search for your destination or tap it on the map.
3. In the bottom left, tap Directions .
   • To edit your starting point, at the top of the screen, tap Your location.
   • To edit your ending point, tap what's listed in the destination box.
4. Tap Preview.

Change the time that you'll leave or arrive

You can change your travel date or time to find the best route before you leave, based on estimated traffic and public transport schedules. To change your departure or arrival time, follow the steps below.

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Get directions.
3. After you've gotten your directions, at the top, tap More Set depart & arrive time.
4. To change your travel dates or times, select Depart at or Arrive by.
5. Tap Set.

Tip: If you have more than one destination, you won’t be able to use this feature.

Other ways to use directions

Pin your favorite trips

If you use Google Maps to get directions for trips you make frequently, like going from home to work, using the Go tab can help you get those directions quickly and show your estimated time of arrival.

By pinning a favorite trip, it will appear at the bottom of your screen when you tap the Go tab.

Tip: You can only pin driving and transit trips.

1. Open Google maps on your device.
2. At the bottom of the app, select Go .
3. A bar will appear on the bottom of your screen, swipe up to get the list of suggested trips.
4. On the right-hand side, tap Pin .

Save a route to find directions offline

When you’re connected to the Internet, you can save a route on your phone or tablet. Then, you can find the directions when you’re offline.

Tip: Saved routes for all modes of transit are currently available in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Russia. Only one route can be saved at a time.

Save a route

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Make sure you’re connected to the Internet.
3. Search for your destination or tap it on the map.
4. In the bottom left, tap Directions .
5. From the top, choose your mode of transit.
6. Tap the white bar at the bottom. It’s the one that shows the travel time and distance.
7. At the bottom, tap Save offline.

Tip:

• Your route is saved on your phone or tablet. Make sure to use the same phone or tablet when looking for a saved route.
• Your saved route expires after 30 days.
• Your route will show you the same mode of transit you chose when you saved the route.

Find a saved route

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. At the bottom, tap Saved offline route.

Tip:

• If you save a route from “Your location” and look up a saved route, the directions will start from the place where you saved the route. The directions won’t start from your current location.
• To get updated information like traffic, tap Refresh .
• Turn-by-turn navigation isn’t currently available for saved routes. To search for places and get turn-by-turn navigation, download an offline area.

Share directions

To send someone directions and a link to the route in Google Maps, follow the steps below.

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. In the bottom left, tap Directions .
3. Select a route.
4. In the top right, tap More .
5. Tap Share directions.
6. Choose an app to share directions.

Send directions to your phone or tablet

To send directions to your phone or tablet, follow the steps below.

1. On your computer, open Google Maps and make sure you're signed in.
2. Get directions. To change your route, drag the route line.
3. Click Send directions to your phone.
4. Choose a phone, tablet, email, or text.

Tip: If you have more than one destination, you can't send directions to your phone or tablet .