Navigating Multiple Stops on Google Maps: A Step-by-Step Guide

In this article, you’ll see how to plan a route with multiple stops with Google Maps. Google Maps stands out as a top choice for mapping and navigation worldwide, thanks to its free, user-friendly, and reliable service.

It offers more than just basic point-to-point directions. You can also use it to plan routes with multiple stops, ideal for road trips or errands.

In this tutorial, we'll guide you through the process step by step.

Google Maps allows you to input up to 10 stops in your route planning. If your journey requires more stops, we'll also demonstrate how to utilize Google’s My Maps feature.

It's important to note that neither Google Maps nor My Maps optimize routes for efficiency. So, if you're aiming for the most time-effective journey, you might want to explore specialized route optimization software.

For those specifically planning delivery routes, we recommend a more advanced approach, which we cover in detail in our dedicated guide, "Route Optimization Using Google Maps: Does It Work?"

So, if you want to know the best way to navigate multiple stops on Google Maps, you’ll enjoy the actionable tips in this article.

Let’s dive right in.

What are routes with multiple stops?

Routes with multiple stops are paths with driving directions for multiple destinations. The process includes putting them on the map in the most logical and practical order.

The destinations are based on a service or delivery order. Usually, it’s the customer’s home or office address. And the goal is to make the route efficient based on operational demands.

The orders and their destinations are typically uploaded to route planning software, which is used as a route planner with multiple stops.

How to plan routes with multiple stops on Google Maps?

Google Maps is another tool many organizations use to plan routes with multiple stops.

But is it any good?

Here’s what we know:

It works great as a navigation tool when you want to find the shortest path from point A to point B.

People often use Google Maps to plan trips and holiday itineraries. Or to find their way to a specific destination.

You can also add up to 10 destinations per route.

BUT, if you need to create multiple routes with multiple stops on Google Maps, it isn’t a good option.

That’s why companies that depend on delivery or transportation usually don’t use Google Maps.

Anyway, let’s take a closer look at how you can use it to plan trips with multiple stops:

1. Open Google Maps:

- Launch your preferred web browser.
- Type `google.com/maps` into the address bar and press Enter.

2. Set Your Starting Point:

- In the search box labeled "Search Google Maps," begin typing your starting address.
- As you type, Google Maps will offer suggestions. Once you find the correct one, select it.
- You can also click directly on the map to choose your starting point if you prefer.

3. Get Directions:

- With your starting point selected, click on the "Directions" button. This activates the directions feature in Google Maps.

4. Configure Starting Location:

- If the location you've chosen is where you'll start your journey, confirm this by clicking in the box where it says 'Your location'. If you're starting from a different place, type that address as your starting point and it will adjust automatically.

5. Add More Stops:

- Click on "Add destination" to include additional stops on your route.
- Enter the address for your next stop. After adding the address, Google Maps will update the route to include this new stop.
- Repeat this process to add more destinations. You can add up to 10 stops.

6. Choose Transportation Mode:

- Before finalizing, ensure you’ve selected the appropriate mode of transportation at the top of the route planner. Click on the car, walking, or biking icon depending on how you plan to travel. Note that the public transit option does not support multiple destinations.

7. Finalize and Review Route:

- Review your route to ensure all addresses are correct and in the preferred order. Google Maps will display the total travel time and provide live traffic updates.
- If you need to rearrange any stops, you can drag and drop the destinations listed on the left pane.

8. Advanced Routing Options:
- If your route planning needs exceed ten stops or you need more complex routing options, you might need to use additional tools or features that Google Maps provides for more advanced route planning.

These steps will help you efficiently plan a multi-stop route using Google Maps, providing a clear and comprehensive itinerary for your journey.

Limitations and Considerations:
While Google My Maps is quite robust for mapping out numerous places and planning ahead visually, it does have some limitations. It isn't designed for complex route optimization or real-time navigation, as it won’t provide live directions or automatically order stops in the most efficient sequence. Thus, for real-time navigation and optimized route planning, you might still need to rely on Google Maps or other specialized GPS applications.

Using Google My Maps allows you to customize richly detailed travel plans and visualize them on a personalized map, making it a valuable planning tool for any trip involving multiple destinations.

How to add stops and draw routes using Google My Maps

Google My Maps is a versatile tool ideal for creating custom travel maps, whether you're planning a road trip or mapping out sights for a vacation. Here’s how you can use it to add stops and draw routes:

Accessing Google My Maps:
1. Visit Google My Maps directly through its dedicated link.
2. Alternatively, from the main Google Maps interface, click on the three-line menu icon ("hamburger" icon), then navigate to Your Places > Maps > Create Map.

Adding Stops:
- Once in My Maps, use the search bar at the top to look up locations you want to add to your map. As you type, suggestions will appear; select the correct one to pin it to your map.
- You can also click directly on a location on the map to add it.

Drawing Routes:

- To start drawing a route, select the 'Draw a line' tool from the toolbar. This feature gives you options to create driving, walking, or cycling routes.
- Click on your map to set a starting point and continue clicking to add stops to your route. My Maps will automatically connect these points.
- As you build your route, My Maps automatically creates a new layer for this route, which you can find on the left-hand side.
- To continue adding destinations to your route, simply use the 'Add destination' button within this layer.

My Maps also highlights paths according to the mode of travel, e.g., cycling routes will be shown in green, which helps in planning the appropriate paths.

This straightforward approach lets you prepare meticulously planned trips with all your desired stops and preferred routes efficiently arranged in one place.

Sending route directions to your phone from Google Maps

To send route directions to your phone from Google Maps, follow these steps:

1. After determining your route on Google Maps using a computer, look for the option titled ‘Send directions to your phone’.
2. Click on this option, and a popup menu will appear.
3. From the popup menu, select the method you prefer to send the directions to your mobile device. Options typically include sending via text, email, or directly to the Google Maps app if you are logged into the same Google account on your mobile device.

This feature is particularly helpful for transferring directions seamlessly from your desktop to your phone.

How can I navigate a route created in Google My Maps on my phone?

To navigate a route you've created using Google My Maps on your mobile phone, follow these steps since a dedicated My Maps app isn't available:

1. Open Google Maps on your smartphone.
2. Access the menu and select 'Your places'.
3. Go to the 'Maps' tab to find your custom maps.
4. Select the My Maps you want to navigate.
5. Once your map is opened, start from your initial location and tap on your first destination.
6. Press the 'Directions' button which will allow Google Maps to generate a route to that destination using its navigation system.
7. Follow the given directions to reach your first stop. For each subsequent stop, repeat the process by selecting the next destination on your map and tapping 'Directions'.

By following these steps, you can smoothly navigate the entire route using the standard navigation features of Google Maps.

How can I access and view a map on my phone created in Google My Maps?

To access and view a custom map you created in Google My Maps on your phone, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Google Maps app on your mobile device.
2. At the bottom of the interface, tap on the ‘Saved’ tab.
3. In the new menu that appears, find and tap on the ‘Maps’ option.
4. Look through the list for the name of the map you created and select it.
5. You will now be able to see all the locations and routes you’ve added to this map.

Customizing your Google Route Planner with layers and viewing route details

To customize your Google route planner effectively, employing layers and adding detailed information to each place can greatly enhance your planning experience. Start by establishing multiple layers based on different categories such as transportation methods, daily destinations, or types of locations (like dining spots or scenic points).

You can create up to 10 layers, allowing you to segregate and organize your spots efficiently. Simply drag and drop your selected places into these layers to maintain clarity and keep your itinerary structured.

To view detailed route information in Google My Maps, follow these steps:

1. Open your map in Google My Maps.
2. Find the layer containing your route and locate the three vertical dots icon next to the layer's name.
3. Click on the three dots to open a menu, and select "Step-by-step directions" from the options provided.
4. A window will appear showing a detailed breakdown of your route, including both time and distance estimates at the top.

Additionally, if your map starts to look cluttered with multiple layers, you can easily manage these layers. Simply use the checkboxes beside each layer name to toggle their visibility on or off.

Remember, changes to your routes and layers are saved automatically in Google My Maps, so there is no need to manually save them. You can leave and return to your map at any time, and your data will be preserved as you left it.

Enhancing each place marker with additional details can make your map more useful. When you select a place on your map, options appear that let you annotate with custom icons, colors, and even personalized notes.

This could involve marking all eateries with a specific icon and color, or noting all parks on a separate layer with unique symbols.

Such details not only personalize your map but also make it quicker to identify your places of interest at a glance.

How sharing Google Maps with someone else works

To share a Google Maps route with someone from your phone, begin by opening the route you want to send. Then, tap on the three dots located in the upper right corner of the screen to open the menu. From the options that appear, select "Share directions." This will allow you to choose how you wish to share the route information, whether via text, email, or another method.

In addition, you can set the desired privacy settings for your map by deciding who you wish to share it with. If you choose “Anyone with this link can view,” you will generate a shareable link. Be cautious about including sensitive information such as personal residences or schools.

The problem of using Google Maps for route planning

There are several problems with doing route optimization using Google Maps.

The main problem is that the routes it creates sometimes aren’t the best route you can plan. It simply does not excel in generating optimized routes or providing real-time navigation instructions, which can be a significant drawback for those needing precise travel guidance.

But also:

Google Maps can’t map multiple routes

If you want to plan a route for several drivers, you can only plan them separately. You have to plan one route at a time.

The app can’t rearrange stops efficiently

It arranges destinations from the nearest to the farthest.

However, you can manually adjust the order of your stops to better optimize your route. If you hover your mouse over one of your addresses, you’ll notice an icon with six dots and a ‘Drag to reorder’ note. By clicking and holding on the dots, you can drag any address to a new position in the list.

While you can choose any order that makes sense to your travel needs, one effective strategy might be to start with the address furthest to the west and then proceed sequentially towards the east. This approach can simplify your route significantly.

For instance, by rearranging the stops as suggested, you could potentially reduce a travel itinerary that originally took 2hr 42mins down to just 1hr 37mins, saving over an hour of travel time. This method allows for more direct routes and can avoid unnecessary detours such as crossing multiple bridges, thereby saving a substantial amount of time."

This detailed guidance empowers you to take control of your route planning, ensuring that you can make the most efficient use of your time on the road.

You can’t create routes based on certain parameters

There is a Google Maps route optimization API that includes:

• Directions API (directions that are in transit between two stops)
• Distance Matrix API (calculates travel time and distance)
• Roads API (determines a more accurate route)

But you have limited options. You have the option to connect it with a traffic tracking app, for example, but you have to plan the route manually, using the updates you got.

On the other hand, a route optimization software API allows you to connect it to many different third-party apps, such as delivery management software, supply chain management software, and others.

You can’t create an optimal stop order

As we mentioned earlier, Google Maps plans routes based on distance factors. So it’s better suited for small operations with a few fixed routes.

You can add only ten different stops per route

Yes, you can only add up to ten different stops per route with Google Maps. But is that enough?

If your trip requires more than 10 stops, consider exploring route planning applications like eLogii, which may offer free trials and the ability to include more waypoints.

Can you plan routes with multiple stops using Google Maps?

Yes, but it isn’t the best solution when it comes to delivery management.

There may be another way:

Using route planning software is definitely a better solution than manually mapping routes when you need to plan multiple routes with multiple destinations. The planner calculates routes for the optimal time, fuel, delivery windows, and vehicle capacity. As a result, you get the most efficient routes, which take your delivery service to another level.

So, tracking, monitoring, and improving your delivery operations become easier than ever.

FAQ on How to Plan a Route with Multiple Stops